The Accreditation Self Study Report of Saddleback College

The Accreditation Self Study Report 

of 

Saddleback College

The Accreditation Self Study Report 

of 

Saddleback College 

Presented to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges 

in Support of 

Application for Reaffirmation of Accreditation 

August 2004 

South Orange County Community College District 

Saddleback College 

28000 Marguerite Parkway 

Mission Viejo, California 92692 

Board of Trustees 

Thomas A. Fuentes, William O. Jay, David B. Lang, Marcia Milchiker, Nancy N. Padberg, 

Donald P. Wagner, John S. Williams

certification 

2004 

Accreditation Self-Study Report 

CERTIFICATION OF THE 

INSTITUTIONAL SELF STUDY REPORT 

Date: June 30, 2004 

To: 

Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, 

Western Association of Schools and Colleges 

From: Saddleback College 

28000 Marguerite Parkway 

Mission Viejo, California 92692 

This institutional Self Study Report is submitted for the purpose of assisting in the 

determination of the accreditation status of Saddleback College. 

We certify that there was broad participation by the College community and we believe 

the Self Study Report accurately reflects the nature and substance of this institution. 

_________________________________ 

Dixie L. Bullock 

PRESIDENT, SADDLEBACK COLLEGE

_________________________________ 

Donald P. Wagner, President 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 

SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT 

_________________________________ 

Dr. Raghu P. Mathur, Chancellor 

SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT 

_________________________________ 

Dr. Carmen C. Dominguez, President 

SADDLEBACK COLLEGE ACADEMIC SENATE 

_________________________________ 

Leslie Humphrey, President 

SADDLEBACK COLLEGE CLASSIFIED SENATE 

_________________________________ 

Kevin Fitzpatrick, President 

SADDLEBACK COLLEGE ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT 

_________________________________ 

Ana Maria Cobos, Chair 

ACCREDITATION SELF STUDY

_________________________________ 

Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Editor 

ACCREDITATION SELF STUDY REPORT EDITOR 

_________________________________ 

Dr. Richard McCullough 

ACCREDITATION LIAISON OFFICER 

_________________________________ 

Dr. Norman Weston, Chair 

STANDARD ONE: INSTITUTIONAL MISSION AND EFFECTIVENESS 

_________________________________ 

Stephen Tamanaha, Chair 

STANDARD TWO: STUDENT LEARNING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES 

_________________________________ 

Claire Cesareo-Silva, Chair 

STANDARD THREE: RESOURCES 

_________________________________ 

Wendy Gordon 

STANDARD FOUR: LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

CONTENTS 

2004 


Introduction: 

Descriptive Background and Demographics 1 

Responses to the Recommendations of the 

1998 Visiting Team 16 

Abstracts 19 

Organization for the Self Study 23 

Institutional Organization 29 

District Office and College Functions Related 

to Accreditation (Organizational Map) 56 

Certification 65 

Standard One: 

Institutional Mission and Effectiveness 73 

A. Mission 74 

B. Improving Institutional Effectiveness 78 

Standard Two: 

Student Learning Programs and Services 87 

A. Instructional Programs 88 

B. Student Support Services 110 

C. Library and Learning Support Services 122 

Standard Three: 

Resources 135 

A. Human Resources 136 

B. Physical Resources 153 

C. Technology Resources 159 

D. Financial Resources 165 

Standard Four: 

Leadership and Governance 179 

A. Decision-Making Roles and Processes 180 

B. Board and Administrative Organization 186

Introduction 

2004 


Descriptive Background and 

Demographics 

Nature and History of the College 

Saddleback College was founded concurrently with the Saddleback Community College 

District in 1967. The college offered its first classes in 1968. The organizational structure 

since that time is best understood by examining six distinct phases or periods. 

Saddleback College is one of two separately accredited colleges in the South Orange County 

Community College District. Over the course of its history, the college has experienced two 

patterns of change, which have had significant impact upon its development: organizational 

alterations and growth.

S A D D L E B A C K C O L L E G E 

Period I (1967-1979) 

Saddleback College and the District operated as a single entity under a chief executive officer 

who served as superintendent of the district and president of the college. 

Period II (1979-1981) 

In 1979, a satellite campus was opened approximately 11 miles to the north in Irvine. 

Saddleback College, in Mission Viejo, was designated as the “Main Campus,” and the 

satellite was designated as the “North Campus.” Both operated as components of the single 

college, which retained the Saddleback College name. The chief executive officer continued 

to serve as superintendent/president. A Dean of Instruction headed the Main Campus and also 

served as Assistant Superintendent of the District. 

Period III (1981-1983) 

During this phase, the North Campus was elevated from satellite to full campus status, 

altering the organizational structure to a multi-campus, single-college District. The 

superintendent/president’s position was changed to Chancellor. Presidents were appointed to 

serve as chief executive officers at each campus. A new Chancellor was appointed in 1982. 

Period IV (1983-1985) 

In 1983, discrete District offices were established and later expanded by the Chancellor. The 

name of the Main Campus was changed to Saddleback College South and a new president 

was appointed. The designation of the North Campus was changed to Saddleback College 

North. During this period, certain functions were centralized under the District’s authority, 

while others were decentralized and became the responsibility of the campuses. 

Period V (1985-1992) 

In 1985, the Board of Trustees adopted a new organizational structure and established a 

multi-college district. Saddleback College South emerged with its own identity as Saddleback 

College. Saddleback College North was named Irvine Valley College (IVC). In 1986, a new 

District Chancellor was appointed, and, in conjunction with the college presidents, arranged 

for the further decentralization of formerly District functions and increased decision-making 

authority for the colleges. 

Saddleback College enjoyed a stable organization, consistent leadership by the institution’s 

president of nine years, and an effective system of governance. Although Saddleback shared 

the financial concerns of all other California community colleges, as well as the normal 

tensions inherent in any multi-college district, this period of stability permitted the college 

to focus its attention upon educational and institutional development, and supported the 

college’s progress in significant areas of accomplishment. 

2 Introduction: Descriptive Background and Demographics


Period VI (1992-present) 

In 1967, Saddleback College began with a student population of 2,500. In 2004, it served an 

approximate enrollment of 25,000 students at its 200-acre campus in Mission Viejo and 30 

off-campus sites. The development of technology-based education has enabled the college to 

reach more and more students through an expanded distance education program. Enrollment 

growth has supported Saddleback College’s development into a large, comprehensive 

community college, which offers area residents a broad spectrum of programs and services: 

academic degree programs for transfer, occupational degree and certificate programs, general 

education, continuing education, community services, and student support services. Both the 

Associate in Arts (A.A.) and the Associate in Science (A.S.) degrees are available to students. 

In 1996, the District Board of Trustees took action to initiate a review of the District name. 

In April 1997, the Board approved the District’s name change from Saddleback Community 

College District to South Orange County Community College District. 

Administrative instability has been the hallmark of the past decade at both Saddleback 

College and the District. Between 1993 and 1998, four individuals served as either 

Chancellor or Acting Chancellor. Additionally, the Vice-Chancellor for Administrative 

Services retired in 1995 and a new Vice-Chancellor for Educational Services was selected the 

following year. That individual served as Interim Chancellor until the current Chancellor was 

selected. 

Shortly before the accreditation visit of 1998, the then interim vice president for instruction 

was appointed president of the college, and served in that capacity until her retirement in 

June 2004. The interim president for most of 1998 returned to the classroom until he assumed 

the position of interim vice president for instruction in summer 2003. The interim vice 

president for instruction has been selected to become the next college president. 

The position of vice president for instruction has experienced similar instability. A permanent 

VPI was selected in 1998 who served until he retired in 2002. A replacement VPI was 

selected, but he worked for one year before being terminated. A long-term member of the 

faculty who had served as interim president in 1998 was selected to serve as interim VPI. 

After the completion of nationwide search, the interim VPI will become the new college 

president in July 2004. 

The vice president of student services also has seen changes in leadership. A long term, 

administrator who served in this capacity for six years was transferred to Irvine Valley 

College and an interim VPSS was appointed. This individual served for nearly a year while 

a search was conducted to fill this position permanently. The current VPSS was appointed in 

May 2003. 

In July, 1997, the District Board of Trustees made sweeping adjustments in the administrative 

structures at both Saddleback College and at IVC, with the elimination of the school-chair 

model which had served at IVC as the Dean model had at Saddleback. This resulted in the 

transfer of five Saddleback College Deans to IVC, an expansion of duties for the four Deans 

Introduction: Descriptive Background and Demographics 

3


who remained at Saddleback College, with each Dean in charge of two or more Divisions. 

As it became evident that the reduction in the number of deans at Saddleback College 

was too severe, a number of organizational changes have been made. With input from all 

elements of shared governance, the college recommended, and the Board agreed, to realign 

responsibilities and expand the number of deans. Instead of six Deans and one Assistant 

Dean in 1998, Saddleback now has eight Deans and three Assistant Deans. Notwithstanding 

these adjustments, there has been significant attrition, with two of the deans in place in 1998 

remaining. 

Such intense and profound change has had a strong impact on all levels of the organization. It 

served as a litmus test of the true mettle of Saddleback College’s administration, faculty, and 

staff. The institution continued to strive towards excellence in its educational mission, in no 

small part fueled by the collective determination of its remaining administrators, its faculty 

and staff. The realigned organizational structure has addressed most of its shortcomings 

so that all eight Deans are now permanent employees. The 2004-2005 academic year will 

be the first in more than a decade in which there will be no freshman deans. With a new 

president who has more than 30 years experience in the district and all other administrative 

positions filled, there is hope that Saddleback College is finally at the dawn of a period of 

administrative stability. 

Demographic Overview 

When Saddleback College was founded in 1967, South Orange County was a large rural 

area with a sparse population clustered in quiet, distinct towns and communities. Despite the 

economic downturn of the early 1990s and the huge impact of the Orange County bankruptcy 

declaration, it is, once more, one of the nation’s most prosperous and dynamic areas, desired 

by major businesses for its potential as a location for corporate headquarters. 

The area’s temperate climate, the proximity to some of the Pacific Ocean’s most beautiful 

beaches, and the desirable location between Los Angeles and San Diego have contributed 

to a marked population explosion. South Orange County had a total population of 148,000 

in 1968. Current population in 2004 is 303,783, with projections for 2006 of approximately 

457,055, a 50 percent increase. 

Saddleback College’s service area is composed of the communities of Aliso Viejo, Capistrano 

Beach, Coto de Caza, Dana Point, Dove Canyon, Emerald Bay, Foothill Ranch, Laguna 

Hills, Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Las Flores, Portola Hills, San 

Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, and South Laguna. Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, and Lake 

Forest are shared with Saddleback College’s sister College, Irvine Valley College. 

Few of the communities in the Saddleback College service area have leveled off in growth. 

Only Mission Viejo and South Laguna have been fully developed. The other communities 

are projected to grow by about 40,000 housing units in the next decade. Continued growth 

of the student population is expected as a result of anticipated high school graduation rates 



during the next ten years. For example, the Capistrano Unified School District is projecting a 

doubling of enrollments, from 28,500 students to 50,328 students in 2003-2004. 

Growth and urbanization have drawbacks as well as gains. For some time, the most 

challenging problem has been transportation. Anticipating this, the South Orange County 

Community College District recognizes the future need for a third site within the next ten 

years. The recession of the early 1990s, opportunities for distance learning, provision of 

courses via the Internet and the acquisition of the Tustin Marine Corps Air Station, however, 

have slowed the immediate need for establishing a third location. 

There are two four-year public institutions of higher education in the Saddleback College 

area: the University of California at Irvine and California State University at Fullerton. 

Tuition increases and enrollment limitations at both institutions have resulted in increased 

transfer-oriented student enrollments at the college. CSU Fullerton has a satellite campus, 

which for several years was located at Saddleback College, but has moved to the former El 

Toro Marine Base. The state budget crisis has created a new population of students, who 

are being redirected to the community colleges. These students, who previously would have 

been accepted in the CSU or UC system, have been redirected to the community college to 

complete their lower division work. 

Two trends, seen at most California community colleges, are evident at Saddleback College. 

The number of minority students enrolled is increasing at a significant rate, and the demand 

for transfer courses is also increasing. 

The charts on the following pages provide additional demographic information about area 

population and a more detailed portrait of the college’s student population. 


5


Figure 1 

Figure 2 



Figure 3 

Figure 4 


7


Figure 5 

From 1991 to 1995, the college’s enrollment declined by 11 percent, due, in large part, to 

the imposition of a $50 per unit charge to students with a Bachelor’s degree or higher. When 

that financial charge was lifted in 1995, enrollment figures began to climb. It is projected that 

enrollments will exceed 28,000 students by fall, 2010. 



Figure 6 

Beginning in fall, 1974, the seventh year of Saddleback College’s operation, women students 

achieved the status as the majority gender group. As evidenced in the above chart, women 

now comprise 61 percent of the total student population. 


9


Figure 7 

First-time students are new to Saddleback College. First time transfer students are new to 

the college, but have previously attended another institution of higher education. Returning 

transfer students left the college for another institution of higher education and then returned. 

Returning students previously attended the college, but not the past semester. Continuing 

students attended the college the previous semester, not including summer semesters. 

The chart above shows a marked increase in the continuing student category in 2002 and 

2003 over previous years. The other four categories show minimal change during that period. 



Figure 8 

As stable enrollment patterns continue, all age groups have seen slight growth. The slightly 

greater increase in the “18 to 21” age group reflects a continuing shift toward community 

college attendance. The “over 69” age group is primarily comprised of Emeritus Institute 

students taking non-credit courses. 


11


Figure 9 

During this period, the proportion of students who either report that they are non-white or 

who have chosen not to provide an ethnic code has remained steady. All three groups have 

shown a small but steady increase in attendance over this period. 



Figure 10 

Part-time students are the majority group at Saddleback College. They are defined as credit 

students who enroll for less than 12 units per semester. 

The percentage of full time students has steadily increased since 1999. While full-time 

students made up 36% of the total credit population in 1999, by 2003 they were nearly 40% 

of the credit population. Part-time students comprise approximately 61% percent of total 

credit enrollments. Full-time students have seen a steady increase, while part-time attendance 

dropped slightly in 2000 and 2001. After a sharp increase in 2002, 2003 saw another slight 

decline from the previous year. 


13


Figure 11 

Over the nine-year period covered in this chart, Saddleback College conferred 6,777 

Associate in Arts and 1,422 Associate in Science degrees to students. Saddleback College 

also awarded 3,983 certificates. 

Figure 12 



Figure 13 

At Saddleback College, minority racial/ethnic categories comprise some 14 percent of the 

employees, while within the South Orange County Community College District, minority 

racial/ethnic categories comprise some 17 percent of the employees. District-wide, the 

population is composed of 24 percent minority racial/ethnic staff. Hispanic ethnicity is the 

largest minority within the District. 

Within the full-time faculty, 50 percent are female and 15 percent are ethnic minorities. 

Within the associate faculty, 57 percent are female and 15 percent are ethnic minorities. 

Within the classified staff, 57 percent are female and 28 percent are ethnic minorities. Within 

the administrators, 54 percent are female and 8 percent are ethnic minorities. 


15


Responses to the Recommendations of 

the 1998 Visiting Team 

In October 1998, Saddleback College was visited by an evaluation team assigned by the 

Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of 

Schools and Colleges. While the college’s accreditation status remained in effect, the visit 

resulted in commission action that placed the college on warning status. The commission 

required a report by April 15, 1999, followed by a focused visit later that spring. In January 

2000, the commission took action on the spring 1999 visiting team’s recommendations, 

removed the warning status, and reaffirmed Saddleback College’s accreditation. 

As required, the college submitted its 2001 Midterm Report, which was accepted by the 

commission in January 2002. What follows is a summary of additional progress and changes 

since that midterm report. 

ACCREDITING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS: 

1. The District and College should work together to design, implement, and support 

an institutional research program and a comprehensive planning process. The goals 

of this program and process should include, but not be limited to, environmental 

scanning; future planning for educational programs, services, staff, and facilities; 

and assessment of effectiveness. It also should be coordinated with the budgeting 

and allocation of resources process. 

Saddleback College has made excellent progress in developing its institutional research 

program with the creation of the Office of Research Planning and Grants. Under the 

leadership of the administration and the ORPG director, the college developed its strategic 

plan and planning framework. This self study received valuable support from ORPG. 

In early 2004, the colleges and district decided to reorganize the colleges’ research offices 

and created a district research office that will work with the colleges to coordinate and 

support college and district research. In January 2004, the college’s ORPG director resigned 

and the research analyst assumed some of the research support responsibilities. The research 

analyst resigned his position in June 2004 and the college hired a temporary research analyst 

until that position is filled. 

16 Introduction: Responses


2. The Board of Trustees should review and revise the recently adopted “Employment 

Procedures for Executive Positions” so that it conforms to accepted best practices. 

Specifically, this process should be fair and equitable and provide for meaningful 

constituency input. Once revised, the procedures implementation should be 

delegated to the Chief Executive Office, and the Board’s direct involvement should 

be limited to the appointment of the Chancellor. 

The midterm report states that, “The Board of Trustees has been following standard hiring 

practices, limiting its interviewing to finalists for those executive positions that sit with the 

Board in closed sessions.” And, “the current process and procedures are fair, equitable to all 

parties involved, and provide for meaningful constituency input.” 

3. The District should adopt, implement, and distribute the recently developed Budget 

Development Guidelines and through the college should take strong measures to 

generate apportionment through FTES growth and enrollment management. 

The midterm report states the district budget development guidelines have been incorporated 

into the college’s preliminary and final budgets. In addition, in spring 2003, the college 

developed its Enrollment Management Plan. While the plan has not yet been implemented, a 

new planning task-force will use the EMP and other plans, including the self study planning 

agendas, to improve the college’s planning infrastructure and link planning with budgetary 

decisions. 

4. The Board of Trustees must begin immediately to delegate all non-policy issues to 

the Chief Executive Officer, his/her team, and the established governance decisionmaking 

processes. The Board of Trustees must show visible evidence, through word 

and deed, to the College and community of its commitment to cease involvement in 

the direct management of the College and District. 

Disputes between the Academic Senate, the Faculty Association, on the one hand, and the 

district and Board of Trustees on the other, have not ceased. The latest indicator of this 

tension is the vote of no confidence in the district chancellor that was taken by the faculty 

in May 2004. There are some hopeful signs in that the classified staff contract was approved 

and the faculty contract negotiations appear to be making progress. Yet another hopeful sign 

is that the community’s effort to hold an election to select a trustee for a vacant position 

was successful and a new trustee elected by the community was seated in April 2004. In 

addition, the Board of Trustees hired Dr. Richard McCullough as the new college president. 

Dr. McCullough is a well-respected colleague who has more than 30 years of experience in 

the district. In June 2004, Dr. Rajen Vurdien was hired as the permanent Vice President for 

Instruction. 

Introduction: Responses 

17


5. The team strongly recommends that the Board of Trustees immediately seek 

qualified outside assistance to guide it through a process of regular, honest selfevaluation, 

training in successful trusteeship, and identification of strategies to 

improve its performance and its communication and relationships with all college 

constituencies. 

The Board of Trustees is holding annual goal setting and self-evaluation sessions facilitated 

by experts. A report of these sessions has not been made available to the college community. 

6. The District and College leadership need to work together collaboratively to assess 

the current College administrative structure, determine a feasible plan, and then 

move to fill all appropriate positions on a permanent basis as soon as possible. The 

Board of Trustees’ role in this process should be limited to setting the overall budget 

parameters, the performance outcomes it expects, and ensuring that all processes 

are conducted consistent with good practice. 

Progress has been made to provide additional administrative support to some divisions 

in the form of assistant deans to address heavy or uneven levels of responsibilities. A 

Deans’ Workload Study has been conducted that reveals still unresolved imbalances. The 

recommendations of this study have not yet been studied. 

7. Representatives of all the formally recognized constituent groups (trustees, Chief 

Executive Officer, administrators, faculty senates and union, classified senates and 

union, and student government) must come together soon. Their task should be to 

determine how they will reduce the hostility, mistrust, cynicism, and despair that 

plague the institution currently. The team feels strongly that all players need to 

cease their negativism and focus on constructive steps toward building a new future. 

See response to #4 above. 

18 Introduction: Responses


Abstracts 

In this document, there are several recurring themes. The first is that Saddleback 

College continues to offer excellent programs and services despite fiscal, classified 

staff and faculty shortages, and administrative instability. The second theme is that 

the institution has made noteworthy progress in institutional planning and research; 

but work remains to be done to link and coordinate the various plans with budgetary 

decisions. The third and overarching theme is that college-district-board relations are 

tense. College faculty and staff feel strongly that they possess the professional expertise 

necessary to make and implement college-level decisions, if only the district and board 

would focus on their policy-making and support functions. 

Standard I: Institutional Mission and Effectiveness 

Saddleback College has a clearly defined and regularly reviewed mission statement that 

includes goals based on the South Orange County Community College District’s Mission, 

Philosophy and Functions. 

Long range institutional planning is tied to the college mission and goals. Although these 

plans are employed by the college administration, there remains work to be done in terms 

of coordination between different plans and institutionalization of planning into the college 

culture. As a result, faculty and staff remain largely unaware of and uninvolved in long-range 

institutional planning. 

The college assesses student learning outcomes and institutional effectiveness through 

student and faculty surveys and the recently approved program review process. 

Introduction: Abstracts 

19


Standard II: Student Learning Programs and Services 

A. Instructional Programs 

Saddleback College’s instructional programs meet the diverse educational needs of the 

local community. The college offers transfer and associate degree programs, occupational 

certificates, community education, non-credit education, and specialized programs that are 

comprehensive and affirm the college’s commitment to high standards. To ensure this high 

quality, all instructional programs are scheduled for program review to research student 

learning needs and outcomes within the discipline. The Curriculum Committee and the 

vice president for instruction also review the college’s programs to ensure that standards of 

instruction are met. New and existing programs are developed in response to demands of 

employment and technological advances; changing transfer and articulation requirements; 

needs expressed by the local community or program advisory boards; and institutional 

goals. A rapidly increasing number of distance education courses complement traditional 

instructional programs by providing alternative delivery modes. 

Saddleback College has begun incorporating student learning outcomes (SLOs) through 

its curriculum review process and is moving forward with incorporation of SLOs into the 

planning infrastructure that is informed by program review data and self-study planning 

agendas. 

B: Student Support Services 

Saddleback College provides a comprehensive array of support services that focus on 

the educational and personal success of students. Most of the college’s support services 

are located in one central location. Current information for all services and all college 

requirements is available in the college catalog in print and electronic formats. The Student 

Handbook and the college website complement the catalog as sources for support services 

and other college information. Many services, such as enrollment, course registration, and 

online counseling are available on the Internet and more such services are being developed 

for distance learners. 

Student activities are an essential part of campus life. The Associated Student Government 

and student clubs provide students with opportunities for service and community 

involvement; personal enrichment through leadership responsibilities; and exposure to 

multicultural events. College programs enhance the college experience for participants and 

supporters. 

C. Library and Learning Support Services 

Saddleback College offers a comprehensive array of learning resources (traditional and 

electronic) and support services to serve the diverse needs of its students. The college has 

approved Information Competency as a graduation requirement beginning in fall 2004, which 

20 Introduction: Abstracts


students will be able to meet through library courses and workshops and other approved 

coursework. 

Standard III: Resources 

Saddleback College is a large and comprehensive institution with a broad array of human, 

physical, technological and financial resources to support its programs and services. Although 

Saddleback College is part of a basic aid district, the district uses a program-based funding 

formula to fund the colleges. The college’s human, physical, technological, and financial 

resources are barely adequate to meet its needs. As a result, there is a strong sentiment that 

the college should receive additional funding from excess basic aid funds held in the district 

reserve. 

A. Human Resources 

The most important resource of the college is its personnel. The college has consistently 

hired excellent faculty and staff to serve the needs of its student body. There are two principal 

areas of concern. First, is that staffing levels are not adequate to meet the needs of our 

growing student population. This is true in all levels of personnel from administration to 

faculty to classified staff. Deans are overworked, full-time faculty numbers are not adequate 

for optimal educational benefits, and classified staffing levels are not consistent throughout 

the college. Second, is the belief that the roles of those who are most qualified to make hiring 

decisions are diminished in the new hiring policies developed by the district. 

B. Physical Resources 

As enrollment grows, there is an obvious need for more and updated physical resources. 

Over the last several years the college has made significant strides in meeting those needs. 

Additional parking areas have been developed, the new Health Science/District Office 

building is under construction, and plans are underway to modernize the library once the 

district vacates the third floor. The college, by and large, is considered to be a safe and 

accessible environment although there is concern about the college’s inability to support 

the considerable needs of its aging infrastructure. A number of buildings and the equipment 

within those buildings are in need of repair or replacement. While there are plans for 

correcting some of the problem areas, others have still not been addressed to the satisfaction 

of some employees and students. 

C. Technological Resources 

There is an immediate and long-term commitment to the use and improvement of technology 

throughout the college. Within the last three years, the college has made significant strides 

in the improvement of technology on campus. Of particular note is the planned installation 

of a new and sophisticated telephone system. However, progress in this area has been 

hampered by insufficient funding. Many faculty and staff are still using older computers that 

Introduction: Abstracts 

21


cannot keep up with the needs of our increased computerization of many routine activities. 

Moreover, the technological support staff is not adequate to meet the college’s full range of 

needs. 

D. Financial Resources 

Despite budget constraints placed on the college by the state and district, the college 

consistently has been able to balance the budget while meeting the basic needs of the 

institution. There are, however, several issues of concern to members of the college 

community. The first involves the district’s funding model. With insufficient resources for 

the college’s personnel, infrastructure, and technology needs, many question the method 

utilized to allocate funds to the colleges given the growing district reserve. The second 

involves the widespread perception that there is no definitive and institutionalized plan that 

guides resource allocation within the college itself. Although the college has taken positive 

steps to make the budgeting process transparent and increase the involvement of all college 

constituencies in budget decisions, some members of the college community feel that there is 

not enough information regarding budgeting processes and how they can contribute toward 

these decisions. 

Standard IV: Leadership and Governance 

Overall perceptions of faculty and staff about college leadership are generally positive 

although perceptions about college-district relations are negative. Although the faculty has a 

substantive role in institutional governance, there is tension between the Board of Trustees 

and the Academic Senate regarding Senate recommendations in academic and professional 

matters. 

Faculty and staff do not have a clear understanding of the Board’s decision-making 

processes. This has resulted in a general feeling of mistrust that the college, the district, and 

the Board must collaborate on to dispel. In addition, all parties will have to work towards 

improving participatory management and to provide adequate opportunities for college 

participation in decision-making that affects college programs and services. Both the 

district and the Board need to improve their self-evaluation processes and disseminate the 

information to college faculty and staff. 

22 Introduction: Abstracts


Organization for the Self Study 

Conducting a thorough self-assessment in an institution of Saddleback College’s size 

and complexity requires careful organization and planning. Given the need to adapt to 

the accrediting commission’s new, streamlined, standards of evaluation as well as the 

coordination required by simultaneous evaluation visits for the two colleges in the district 

further underscored the need for a well-organized effort. Particular attention was given to the 

following elements: 

• Adequate time for preparation of the college self study; 

• Adequate training in the new standards; 

• Leadership and support for the entire self study process; 

• Formation of standard committees with representation from all segments of the 

college community; 

• Research to support findings and conclusions, as well as to elicit maximum input in 

determining institutional perceptions; 

• Regular progress reports to the college community, the district and the Board of 

Trustees through the accreditation web site, regular collegewide meetings, and email 

broadcasts. 

In summer, 2002, President Bullock and the Academic Senate worked together to organize 

this institutional assessment. The Academic Senate assumed the organizational leadership 

role and, in fall 2002, Dr. Carmen Dominguez, the Academic Senate President-Elect, 

became the self study chair. During 2002-2003, Dr. Dominguez worked closely with the 

Vice President for Instruction (also the accreditation liaison), and the Director of Research, 

Planning, and Grants, to organize and train the committees that had representation from all 

college constituencies. In May, 2003, Ana Maria Cobos, became the new chair of the self 

study as Dr. Dominguez assumed her responsibilities as president of the Academic Senate. 

Early in the self study process a calendar was adopted that has been followed throughout: 

Summer, 2002 

1. Select self study chair. 

Fall 2002-Spring 2003 

2. Identify self study standard chairs and committee membership. 

3. Provide training for self study chairs. 

4. Assess survey instruments. 

5. Select and identify classes to conduct student survey. 

6. Administer student survey. 

Introduction: Organization for the Self Study 

23


Spring-Summer 2003 

7. Task force developed and tested the staff satisfaction survey. 

Fall 2003 

8. Inservice meetings to update campus community. 

9. Analyze, disseminate Student Satisfaction Survey results. 

10. Publish Student Satisfaction Survey and post on accreditation web site. 

11. Administer Employee Voice 2003, the staff survey. 

12. The college president provides regular updates to the Board of Trustees. 

13. First draft of document posted on the accreditation web site. 

Spring, 2004 

14. Analyze, disseminate, and publish Employee Voice 2003 results. 

15. Publish Employee Voice 2003 and post on accreditation web site. 

16. Review first draft of the self study during inservice meeting. 

17. Post revised self study drafts on a monthly basis. 

18. The college president provides regular updates to the Board of Trustees. 

19. In May, editor begins review of the final draft. 

20. Begin publication arrangements. 

21. Document is presented to Board of Trustees for review and study. 

Summer, 2004 

22. Disseminate document to college community and the public at large. 

23. The college president appoints a planning task force that will use the self study 

planning agendas as the basis for updating and revitalizing the college’s planning and 

institutional development infrastructure. 

24. Mail self study report and related materials to the visiting team. 

Fall, 2004 

25. Visit by evaluation team. 

The combination of formal meetings, broad communication (enhanced by using the campus 

email system and accreditation web site) and institutional leadership enabled Saddleback 

College to achieve its desired goals, with respect both to the timeline for accomplishing 

specified tasks and to the assurance of the document’s high quality. 

24 Introduction: Organization for the Self Study


Steering Committee 

Ana Maria Cobos 

Dr. Norman Weston 

Stephen Tamanaha 

Claire Cesareo-Silva 

Wendy Gordon 

Dr. Carmen Dominguez 

Dr. Richard McCullough 

Dixie Bullock 

Dr. Kevin O’Connor 

Accreditation Self Study Chair 

Chair, Standard I 

Chair, Standard II 

Chair, Standard III 

Chair, Standard IV 

Academic Senate President 

Accreditation Liaison Officer 

College President 

Accreditation Self Study Report Editor 

Standard One: Institutional Mission and Effectiveness 

Norman Weston, Faculty (Chair) 

Lisa Silveira, Faculty 

Kevin Cook, Classified 

Rocky Cifone, Administration 


25


Standard Two: Student Learning Programs and Services 

Stephen Tamanaha, Counseling Faculty, Chair, 2003-2004 

Dawn Lindsay, Counseling Faculty, Chair, 2002-2003 

Howard Adams, Faculty, HSHSEI, Chair Curriculum 

Ana Maria Cobos, Faculty, LALR, Library 

Phillip Erquiaga, Student Trustee 

Jennifer Forouzesh, Faculty, HSHS 

Gail Hooper, DSPS Counselor 

Victor Manchik, Classified, CSP- Research Analyst 

Tammy Rice, Director of Nursing & Special Projects 

Jeanne Smith, Faculty, MSE 

Rita Tamer, Faculty, HSHS, Sign Language 

Don Mineo, Classified, CSP-Matriculation 

Standard Three: Resources 

Claire Cesareo-Silva, Faculty (Chair) 

III.A: Human Resources 

Claire Cesareo-Silva (Chair) 

Cheryl Altman, Faculty 

Randy Anderson, Faculty 

Jerilyn Chuman, Administration 

Patti Weekes, Classified 

26 Introduction: Organization for the Self Study


III.B: Physical Resources 

Harry Parmer, Classified Leadership (Co-Chair) 

Tony Lipold, Administration (Co-Chair) 

John Ozurovich, Classified Leadership 

III.C: Technological Resources 

Mark Schiffelbein, Classified Leadership (Chair) 

Don Taylor, Administration 

Mark Sierakowski, Classified 

III.D: Financial Resources 

Carol Hilton, Classified Leadership (Chair) 

Mary Williams, Classified 

Julie Bright, Faculty 

Don Lindboe, Classified 

Standard Four: Leadership and Governance 

Wendy Gordon, Faculty, Chair 

Alannah Orrison, Faculty 


Jim Wright, Administration 


27


Institutional Organization 

Schematic of Institutional Organization Chart 

A B C D 

E F G H I 

J 

K 

L 

M 

N 

O 

P 

X 

Q 

R 

S 

T 

W 

U 

V 

Y 

Z 

Introduction: Institutional Organization 

29


A 

30 

Introduction: Institutional Organization


B 


31


C 

32 



D 


33


E 

34 



F 


35


G 

36 



H 


37


I 

38 



J 


39


K 

40 



L 


41


M 

42 



N 


43


O 

44 



P 


45


Q 

46 



R 


47


S 

48 



T 


49


U 

50 



V 


51


W 

52 



X 


53


Y 

54 



Z 


55


DISTRICT OFFICE AND COLLEGE FUNCTIONS RELATED TO ACCREDITATION 

(ORGANIZATIONAL MAP) 

NUMBER STANDARD STATEMENT DISTRICT OFFICE COLLEGES 

I. Institutional Mission and Effectiveness. 

The Institution demonstrates strong commitment 

to a mission that emphasizes achievement of 

student learning and to communicating the 

mission internally and externally. The institution 

uses analyses of quantitative and qualitative 

data and analysis in an ongoing and systematic 

cycle of evaluation, integrated planning, 

implementation, and re-evaluation to verify and 

improve the effectiveness by which the mission is 

accomplished. 

I.A Mission. The institution has a statement of 

mission that defines the institutions broad 

educational purposes, its intended student 

population, and its commitment to achieving 

student learning. 

The District annually reviews its mission, which 

was developed through a shared governance 

process and approved by the Board 

The Colleges renew and adopt their Mission 

Statements, consistent with the District mission 

statement, on an annual basis utilizing a shared 

governance process. The Mission Statements are 

submitted to the Board of Trustees for adoption. 

I.B Improving Institutional Effectiveness. The 

institution demonstrates a conscious effort to 

produce and support student learning, measures 

that learning, assesses how well learning is 

occurring, and makes changes to improve student 

learning. The institution also organizes its key 

processes and allocates its resources to effectively 

support student learning. The institution 

demonstrates its effectiveness by providing 1) 

evidence of the achievement of student learning 

outcomes, and 2) evidence of institution and 

program performance. The institution uses 

ongoing and systematic evaluation and planning 

to refine its key processes and improve student 

learning. 

The District supports both Colleges with services 

that include: human resources, purchasing / 

facilities, coordination of both academic and 

student services, research, budgeting (District 

Resource Allocation Council), accounting, payroll, 

information technology, public information, and 

legislative advocacy. 

The Chancellor’s Executive Council is a weekly 

meeting of District and College executive 

leadership to coordinate these services. Monthly 

meetings are held for the District Management 

Council and Chancellor’s Cabinet. The 

Chancellor’s Cabinet consists of the District’s 

executive leadership and all shared governance 

groups. The Deputy Chancellor has weekly 

meetings with College Presidents and the Vice 

The Colleges have a clearly defined curriculum 

and program review process that systematically 

examines and modifies curriculum and programs. 

This process was developed jointly by the College 

Academic Senates, the offices of the College 

Presidents, and the Vice Presidents for Instruction 

and Student Services. 

Annually the District Resource Allocation Council 

(DRAC) meets to review and analyze fiscal 

requirements of the District and the Colleges 

and recommends to the Chancellor an Allocation 

Model for distribution of funding. Each college 

has a Financial Advisory Committee that reviews 

the institutional funding requirements based on a 

pattern of historical distribution of funds and new 

enrollment management recommendations, and then 

56 Introduction: Organizational Map



I.B (Cont.) Chancellor meets weekly with the College Vice 

Presidents. The Chancellor meets on a rotating 

basis with the faculty and staff of the divisions/ 

schools/units of both colleges. These meetings are 

scheduled throughout the year. 

makes recommendations to the College Presidents 

for funding allocations. 

The Colleges developed a research function to 

provide a systematic process for reviewing data for 

planning efforts. This function is being shifted to 

the District Offices. Annual planning is primarily 

driven by the alignment of College goals to District 

goals. Goals and Action Plans are forwarded to the 

Chancellor for review and approval. The finalized 

document is submitted to the Board of Trustees as a 

recommendation for approval. 

II. Student Learning Programs and Services. 

The Institution offers high-quality instructional 

programs, student support services, and library 

and learning support services that facilitate and 

demonstrate the achievement of stated student 

learning outcomes. The institution provides an 

environment that supports learning enhances 

student understanding and appreciation of 

diversity, and encourages personal and civic 

responsibility as well as intellectual, aesthetic, and 

personal development for all of its students. 

II.A Instructional Programs. The institution offers 

high-quality instructional programs in recognized 

and emerging fields of study that culminate in 

identified student outcomes leading to degrees, 

certificates, employment, or transfer to other 

higher education institutions or programs 

consistent with its mission. Instructional programs 

are systematically assessed in order to assure 

currency, improve teaching and learning strategies, 

and achieve stated student learning outcomes. The 

provisions of this standard are broadly applicable 

to all instructional activities offered in the name of 

the institution. 

The Vice Chancellor of Educational Services 

holds weekly meetings with the College Vice 

Presidents, monthly meetings with College District 

and local Unified School District representatives, 

and, as necessary, with four-year colleges. These 

meetings are designed to coordinate and keep 

current with academic, workforce preparation, 

and lifelong-learning programs, as well as build 

and maintain partnerships for emerging issues and 

technologies at both colleges. 

The District is supporting the development of 

the Advanced Technology and Education Park 

(ATEP) to provide a variety of technology-based 

educational programs and services for students and 

businesses. 

Evidence of institution and program performance 

is reflected by the Colleges’ part-time to fulltime 

student statistics and changing student 

demographics as well as through the colleges 

tracking of retention, persistence, weekly student 

contact hours, full-time equivalents, course 

completion, transfer rates, and associate degree and 

certificate completion. 

Student learning outcomes are included in 

all new and revised curricula. Each College 

has an Academic Senate approved five-year 

program review process ensuring compliance 

with accreditation and Title V. Comprehensive 

instructional activities consist of on campus, off 

campus, and distance education including cocurricular 

clubs, programs, and activities. 

Introduction: Organizational Map 

57



II.B Student Support Services. The institution 

recruits and admits diverse students who are 

able to benefit from its programs, consistent 

with its mission. Student support services 

address the identified needs of students and 

enhance a supportive learning environment. The 

entire student pathway through the institutional 

experience is characterized by a concern for 

student access, progress, learning, and success. 

The institution systematically assesses student 

support services using student learning outcomes, 

faculty and staff input, and other appropriate 

measures in order to improve the effectiveness of 

these services. 

The Vice Chancellor of Educational Services holds 

weekly meetings with the College Vice Presidents, 

monthly meetings with College District and local 

Unified School District representatives, and, as 

necessary, with four-year colleges. These meetings 

are designed to assess, evaluate, and enhance 

services for students, such as matriculation, 

articulation, etc. 

Consistent with Title V guidelines, each College 

has developed outreach programs and activities to 

systematically recruit and retain students. These 

support services are the mutual responsibilities 

of the College offices of Instruction and Student 

Services. The College catalogs serve as the 

institutional contract with the students and is 

annually reviewed and revised as required, and 

approved by the Board of Trustees. The institution 

through Guidance and Counseling (matriculation) 

provides opportunities for assessment and for the 

development of individual student educational 

plans and referrals to additional support services. 

Students and staff are offered opportunities to 

provide feedback on the quality of services. 

This data is then used to improve institutional 

effectiveness. 

II.C Library and Learning Support Services. 

Library and other learning support services for 

students are sufficient to support the institution’s 

instructional programs and intellectual, aesthetic, 

and cultural activities in whatever format and 

wherever they are offered. Such services include 

library services and collections, tutoring, learning 

enters, computer laboratories, and learning 

technology development and training. The 

institution provides access and training to students 

so that library and other learning support services 

may be used effectively and efficiently. The 

institution systematically assesses these services 

using student learning outcomes, faculty input, and 

other appropriate measures in order to improve the 

effectiveness of the services. 

The Vice Chancellor of Educational Services 

holds weekly meetings with the College Vice 

Presidents, monthly meetings with College District 

and local Unified School District representatives, 

and, as necessary, with four-year colleges. These 

meetings are designed to assess, evaluate, and 

enhance library and learning support services. 

Each college has a Dean responsible for Library 

and Learning Resources. IVC’s “Committee on 

Courses” and SC’s “Curriculum Committee” 

reviews the library services and technology 

requirements to support the viability of courses and 

programs. In addition, the faculty directly submits 

requests for books and learning materials to the 

Library. 

III. Resources. 

The institution effectively uses its human, 

physical, technology, and financial resources to 

achieve its broad educational purposes, including 

stated student learning outcomes, and to improve 

institutional effectiveness. 




III.A Human Resources. The institution employs 

qualified personnel to support student learning 

programs and services wherever offered and 

by whatever means delivered, and to improve 

institutional effectiveness. Personnel are 

treated equitably, are evaluated regularly and 

systematically, and are provided opportunities 

for professional development. Consistent 

with its mission, the institution demonstrates 

its commitment to the significant educational 

role played by persons of diverse backgrounds 

by making positive efforts to encourage such 

diversity. Human resource planning is integrated 

with institutional planning. 

The District facilitates the recruitment, selection 

and evaluation of personnel as well as the 

implementation of Board hiring and diversity 

policies. 

District staff negotiate collective bargaining 

agreements with all employee unions (Faculty 

Association, CSEA, Police Officer’s Association). 

District staff are knowledgeable about collective 

bargaining contracts and serve as resource for 

contract interpretation and handling of grievances. 

Employees must meet the qualifications of Title 5 

to support student learning. 

Faculty development efforts are coordinated by 

the Vice Chancellor of Educational Services. The 

District also supports staff development efforts for 

the District Management Council (DMC) and all 

District classified staff. 

In response to III.A, B, and C: 

DRAC (District Resource Allocation Council) 

provides resources to each College. The Colleges 

utilizes a system of committees to review and 

recommend priorities to the College Presidents 

for facilities, technology, equipment, deferred 

maintenance, and utilization of land and assets. 

In addition, the College Presidents working with 

their respective staff and faculty, prioritize a list 

of projects to be considered for one time Basic 

Aid funds. Upon implementation of the District 

Resource Allocation Model, approved by the 

Chancellor and the Board of Trustees, each college 

relies upon their respective fiscal resource allocation 

committees. Funds for physical resources include 

block grants, categorical funds, program based 

funds, and basic aid funds. 

At Irvine Valley College, the annual strategic 

planning of goals and objectives establish priorities 

for funding consideration. The College Financial 

Resource Committee reviews available fiscal 

resources and makes allocation recommendations to 

the President. The President reviews the 

recommendations and determines specific 

allocations. These funds are then reviewed by 

various specialized review bodies. For advanced 

technology requirements, the participating Tech 

Review Committee determines how the funds 

will be distributed. The offices of Instruction 

and Student Services determine the allocation 

of resources for non-advanced technology 

requirements. The Associated Student Body’s 

(ASIVC) annual budget is developed with funds 

received from the College Bookstore and Cafeteria 

contracts, the sale of Associated Student Body 

cards, and other miscellaneous income. The annual 

budget supports programs including athletics, 

tutorial programs, scholarships, forensics, and 

other co-curricular programs, college events 

and activities, as well as the Associated Student 

Government (ASIVC). 


59



III.A (Cont) The Saddleback College Budget Committee 

identifies all possible resources and sets basic 

priorities. Saddleback College utilizes the following 

committees to review and make financial resource 

recommendations to the President’s 

Council and senior staff: Technology, Equipment, 

Faculty Staffing, Classified Staffing, and Facilities. 

ASG (Associated Student Government) funds 

generated from the College bookstore, cafeteria, and 

Pepsi contracts, sale of ASB (Associated Student 

Body) cards, and event fees are prioritized by 

student government and utilized for co-curricular 

learning activities, college clubs, support to 

athletics, tutoring, speakers, and other functions and 

services. 

Each college supports a College Foundation which 

provides student scholarships and funds for specific 

projects are determined by each Foundation Bylaws 

as described by the Calif. Ed. Code and SOCCCD 

Board Policy 3610. 

The Colleges set priorities for new hires for both 

faculty and staff. They assign work, evaluate and 

manage faculty and staff. 

Each college implements an annual flex week 

of training for faculty and jointly the colleges 

and District convene an annual Classified Staff 

Development Day. In addition, departments 

and divisions encourage professional and staff 

development. 

III.B Physical Resources. Physical resources, which 

include facilities, equipment, land, and other 

assets, support student learning programs and 

services and improve institutional effectiveness. 

Physical resource planning is integrated with 


The District facilitates the facilities master plan, 

consistent with the adopted College educational 

master plan. 

The District sets priorities for ongoing and 

scheduled maintenance. The colleges maintain 

their own scheduled maintenance plan. 

The colleges have adopted a shared governance 

facilities, technology, and equipment master 

planning process consistent with the District. 




III.C Technology Resources. Technology resources 

are used to support student learning programs and 

services and to improve institutional effectiveness. 

Technology planning is integrated with 


III.D Financial Resources. Financial resources are 

sufficient to support student learning programs and 

services and to improve institutional effectiveness. 

The distribution of resources supports the 

development, maintenance, and enhancement of 

programs and services. The institution plans and 

manages its financial affairs with integrity and 

in a manner that ensures financial stability. The 

level of financial resources provides a reasonable 

expectation of both short-term and long-term 

financial solvency. Financial resources planning is 

integrated with institutional planning 

The District facilitates purchasing and competitive 

procurement of goods and services. The 

procurement process was recently streamlined 

through business process reengineering. 

The District provides software development, 

programming services and maintains the overall 

compatible network infrastructure serving the 

District and both Colleges. 

The District IT developed “My Site” to expedite 

the student registration process, with the 

involvement of both Colleges. 

Colleges set priorities and needs 

Departments that provide technology services, 

they support internal network, equipment and 

maintenance. 

The budget allocation plan consistent with the 

educational plans of the colleges. 

District IT provides technological support for 

administrative services, instructional programs 

and services, student services (online counseling), 

HR processes, and distance education. District 

IT provides the technological infrastructure and 

ensures the compatibility to strengthen other 

services and online educational opportunities. The 

District collects for and provides data to the State 

Chancellor’s Office, internal program review, and 

District research. 

The District is supporting development of ATEP 

and a variety of technology based educational 

programs and services for students and businesses. 

The District takes the lead in distribution of 

resources through the District Allocation Resource 

Council (DRAC) and through annual goals and 

action planning. State funding is allocated to 

the Colleges through the District Allocation 

Resource Council (DRAC), and makes budgetary 

recommendations to the Chancellor based on input 


61



III.D (Cont.) and available data consistent with Board adopted 

budget development guidelines. These guidelines 

include requirements for continued use of reserves 

consistent with state guidelines. The budget 

allocation plan is consistent with educational plan 

of colleges. 

IV. Leadership and Governance. 

The institution recognizes and utilizes the 

contributions of leadership throughout the 

organization for continuous improvement of the 

institution. Governance roles are designed to 

facilitate decisions that support student learning 

programs and services and improve institutional 

effectiveness, while acknowledging the designated 

responsibilities of the governing board and the 

chief administrator. 

IV.A Decision-Making Roles and Processes. The 

institution recognizes that ethical and effective 

leadership throughout the organization enables the 

institution to identify institutional values, set and 

achieve goals, learn, and improve. 

The Board of Trustees has established appropriate 

policies that clearly define ethical practices for 

District and College personnel. 

The SOCCCD “Harassment Policy and Complaint 

Procedures” clearly commits the District 

to providing an ethical academic and work 

environment free of prejudice. 

Both Colleges support and encourage the faculty 

and Classified Senates, as well as student 

government organizations to develop, prioritize, and 

recommend to the College Administration policies 

and plans that are designed to support and improve 

the mission of each college. This information is 

then utilized to promote instructional effectiveness 

for improved student outcomes. 

The Board has approved a mission statement with 

five major components. 

This is reinforced by documents such as the College 

faculty handbooks and the Constitution and Bylaws 

of the Academic and Classified Senates, and Student 

Governments. These documents serve to guide 

College personnel to embrace institutional ethics, 

which are periodically reviewed and revised. 

The Colleges recognize that effective leadership 

requires all participating elements of the institutions 

have meaningful opportunities to provide input into 

the on-going decision-making process. These 

processes ensures all members of the College 

community participate in the determination of 

institutional values, establishment of annual goals 




IV.A (Cont.) and objectives, and staff development opportunities 

to promote improving and enhancing individual and 

collective skills. 

IV.B Board and Administrative Organization. 

In addition to the leadership of individuals 

and constituencies, institutions recognize the 

designated responsibilities of the governing board 

for setting policies and of the chief administrator 

for the effective operation of the institution. 

Multi-college districts/systems clearly define the 

organizational roles of the district/system and the 

colleges. 

The District takes the lead in distribution of 

resources through the District Allocation Resource 

Council (DRAC) and through annual goals and 

action planning. 

Per board policy, the District, in consultation 

with the Colleges, delineates the decision making 

process with appropriate shared governance 

groups. 

The institutional leadership recognizes and follows 

the tenants of board policy as authorized by 

California Education Code and Title 5, California 

Code of Regulations. 

In addition, the institutions adhere to the agreements 

that are negotiated through collective bargaining. 


63


CERTIFICATION OF CONTINUED 

COMPLIANCE WITH ELIGIBITY 

REQUIREMENTS 

The Self Study Steering Committee has had ample opportunity to review and discuss 

the eligibility requirements for accreditation. The committee agrees that Saddleback 

College continues to meet each of the twenty one eligibility requirements for 

accreditation set by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. 

Statement of Assurance 

We hereby certify that Saddleback College continues to comply with the eligibility 

requirements for accreditation established by the Western Association of Schools and 

Colleges. 

__________________________ 

Dixie Bullock 

President, Saddleback College 

___________________________ 

Donald P. Wagner 

President, Board of Trustees 

South Orange County Community 

College District 

June 30, 2004 June 30, 2004 

Date 

Date 

Introduction: Certification 

65


CERTIFICATION 

The 2004 Self Study for Accreditation Steering Committee has the task of verifying the 

eligibility of Saddleback College to undertake this self study report. The Accrediting 

Commission and WASC have prescribed 21 eligibility requirements for community 

and junior colleges. What follows is a summary of each requirement with relevant 

references. 

1. AUTHORITY 

The institution is authorized or licensed to operate as an educational institution and to award 

degrees by an appropriate governmental organization or agency as required by each of the 

jurisdictions or regions in which it operates. 

Private institutions, if required by the appropriate statutory regulatory body, must submit 

evidence of authorization, licensure, or approval by that body. If incorporated, the institution 

shall submit a copy of its articles of incorporation. 

The following statement appears on page 1 of the Saddleback College Catalog, 2004-2005: 

“Saddleback College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community 

and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 3402 

Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, 707-569-9177, an institutional 

accrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary 

Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education.” 

The Saddleback College Catalog is available in all administrative offices of the college, 

numerous copies are available for public consultation in the library, and it is also available 

via the college web site (http://www.saddleback.edu). 

2. MISSION 

The institution’s educational mission is clearly defined, adopted, and published by its 

governing board consistent with its legal authorization, and is appropriate to a degreegranting 

institution of higher education and the constituency it seeks to serve. The mission 

statement defines institutional commitment to achieving student learning. 

Saddleback College’s mission statement clearly defines its role in serving the community 

through comprehensive programs and services. The mission statement appears in the college 

catalog, the web site, and the Education and Facilities Master Plan. The mission statement is 

reviewed on a regular basis. 

66 Introduction: Certification


3. GOVERNING BOARD 

The institution has a functioning governing board responsible for the quality, integrity, and 

financial stability of the institution and for ensuring that the institution’s mission is being 

carried out. This board is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the financial resources of 

the institution are used to provide a sound educational program. Its membership is sufficient 

in size and composition to fulfill all board responsibilities. 

The governing board is an independent policy-making body capable of reflecting constituent 

and public interest in board activities and decisions. A majority of the board members have 

no employment, family, ownership, or other personal financial interest in the institution. The 

board adheres to a conflict of interest policy that assures that those interests are disclosed and 

that they do not interfere with the impartiality of governing body members or outweigh the 

greater duty to secure and ensure the academic and fiscal integrity of the institution. 

Saddleback College is governed by a publicly-elected governing board composed of seven 

members. Information about the Board of Trustees, its meetings schedule, agendas, and 

policies are available on the SOCCCD web site, http://www.socccd.org/board/govboard.asp. 

Board Policy 1400, Code of Ethics for the Members of the Governing Board, addresses 

conflict of interest and/or appearance of impropriety. 

4. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 

The institution has a chief executive officer appointed by the governing board, whose 

full-time responsibility is to the institution, and who possesses the requisite authority to 

administer board policies. Neither the district/system chief administrator nor the college 

chief administrator may serve as the chair of the governing board. 

The Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Richard McCullough president of the college on June 

24, 2004. Although not defined in any policy or procedure manual, it is understood that the 

chancellor gives the college president the authority to implement and administer district 

policies without interference. 

5. ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY 

The institution has sufficient staff, with appropriate preparation and experience to provide 

the administrative services necessary to support its mission and purpose. 

The members of the college administration are listed in the college catalog. In 1997, the 

district reorganized the college’s administrative structure. Since this reorganization, eight 

deans have responsibility for larger academic units. The deans posses the education and 

expertise to manage their units. The college has had some success in securing additional 

support for some of the large divisions. The Deans Workload Study indicated imbalances in 

administrative assignments but no recommendations were formulated from this study. 


67


6. OPERATIONAL STATUS 

The institution is operational, with students actively pursuing its degree programs. 

The SOCCCD Almanac (http://www.socccd.org/ref/almanac/almanac.asp) provides 

enrollment history and other demographic information about students and non-students in the 

service area. 

7. DEGREES 

A substantial portion of the institution’s educational offerings are programs that lead to 

degrees, and a significant proportion of its students are enrolled in them. 

The Saddleback College Catalog contains a complete list of degrees and certificates offered 

including course level descriptions. The Office of Research Planning and Grants has 

conducted extensive research about the success of Saddleback College students. The ORPG 

website (http://www.saddleback.edu/SS/orpg/) provides links to these reports. 

8. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS 

The institution’s principal degree programs are congruent with its mission, are based 

on recognized higher education field(s) of study, are of sufficient content and length, are 

conducted at levels of quality and rigor appropriate to the degrees offered, and culminate in 

identified student outcomes. At least one degree program must be of two academic years in 

length. 

The Saddleback College Catalog lists all degrees, certificates, and courses. These educational 

programs reflect the institutional mission. 

9. ACADEMIC CREDIT 

The institution awards academic credits based on generally accepted practices in degreegranting 

institutions of higher education. Public institutions governed by statutory or system 

regulatory requirements provide appropriate information about the awarding of academic 

credit. 

Information about the college transfer and and awarding of credit policies are available in the 

college catalog. 

10. STUDENT LEARNING AND ACHIEVEMENT 

The institution defines and publishes for each program the program’s expected student 

learning and achievement outcomes. Through regular and systematic assessment, it 

demonstrates that students who complete programs, no matter where or how they are offered, 

achieve these outcomes. 

The Curriculum Committee has made noteworthy progress to ensure that student learning 

outcomes and achievement are defined at the course level. Student learning outcomes and 

achievement for programs are defined in general terms in the college catalog. Student 



learning outcomes and achievement of programs are reviewed extensively in the program 

review process. The Curriculum Procedures and Resources Manual is available in all division 

offices and can also be found online (http://www.saddleback.edu/FORMS/curriculum/). 

11. GENERAL EDUCATION 

The institution defines and incorporates into all of its degree programs a substantial 

component of general education designed to ensure breadth of knowledge and promote 

intellectual inquiry. The general education component includes demonstrated competence 

in writing and computational skills and an introduction to some of the major areas of 

knowledge. General education has comprehensive learning outcomes for the students who 

complete it. Degree credit for general education programs must be consistent with levels of 

quality and rigor appropriate to higher education. See the Accreditation Standards, II.A.3, 

for areas of study for general education. 

The philosophy, core and breadth requirements of general education for the A.A. and A.S. 

degrees and 4-year college transfer patterns are defined in the Saddleback College Catalog. 

12. ACADEMIC FREEDOM 

The institution’s faculty and students are free to examine and test all knowledge appropriate 

to their discipline or area of major study as judged by the academic/educational community 

in general. Regardless of institutional affiliation or sponsorship, the institution maintains an 

atmosphere in which intellectual freedom and independence exist. 

Board Policy 6120, the academic freedom statement, was created by district personnel and 

adopted by the Board of Trustees. Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College Academic 

Senates jointly developed and agreed on an academic freedom statement that is more 

comprehensive than that of the district. This latter policy promotes academic freedom by 

respecting diversity of opinions. This latter policy has not been adopted by the Board of 

Trustees. 

13. FACULTY 

The institution has a substantial core of qualified faculty with full-time responsibility to the 

institution. The core is sufficient in size and experience to support all of the institution’s 

educational programs. A clear statement of faculty responsibilities must include development 

and review of curriculum as well as assessment of learning. 

The college has a core of full-time, qualified faculty to support its programs. The Saddleback 

College catalog contains a list of full-time and emeritus faculty. 

14. STUDENT SERVICES 

The institution provides for all of its students appropriate student services that support 

student learning and development within the context of the institutional mission. 


69


A comprehensive list of student services that support student learning and development is 

available in the college catalog, the Student Handbook, and the college web site (http://www. 

saddleback.edu/SS/?exp=/SS/). 

15. ADMISSIONS 

The institution has adopted and adheres to admission policies consistent with its mission that 

specify the qualifications of students appropriate for its programs. 

The college’s admissions requirements are listed in the college catalog. These requirements 

are consisted with the institutional mission. 

16. INFORMATION AND LEARNING RESOURCES 

The institution provides, through ownership or contractual agreement, specific long-term 

access to sufficient information and learning resources and services to support its mission 

and instructional programs in whatever format and wherever they are offered. 

The college provides sufficient information and learning resources and services through 

the library, the tutoring center, and the instructional labs. The library maintains contractual 

agreements with providers of electronic resources. 

17. FINANCIAL RESOURCES 

The institution documents a funding base, financial resources, and plans for financial 

development adequate to support student learning programs and services, to improve 

institutional effectiveness, and to assure financial stability. 

Financial planning and development is supported by the Budget Officer and the college 

administration with input from all constituencies. Budgetary decisions are guided by 

institutional plans that adhere to the institution’s mission. 

18. FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY 

The institution annually undergoes and makes available an external financial audit by a 

certified public accountant or an audit by an appropriate public agency. The institution 

shall submit with its eligibility application a copy of the budget and institutional financial 

audits and management letters prepared by an outside certified public accountant or by an 

appropriate public agency, who has no other relationship to the institution, for its two most 

recent fiscal years, including the fiscal year ending immediately prior to the date of the 

submission of the application. The audits must be certified and any exceptions explained. 

It is recommended that the auditor employ as a guide Audits of Colleges and Universities, 

published by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. An applicant institution 

must not show an annual or cumulative operating deficit at any time during the eligibility 

application process. 

The college undergoes annual external audits. These findings are duly noted and appropriate 

action is taken in a timely manner. 



19. INSTITUTIONAL PLANNING AND EVALUATION 

The institution systematically evaluates and makes public how well and in what ways it is 

accomplishing its purposes, including assessment of student learning outcomes. 

The institution provides evidence of planning for improvement of institutional structures 

and processes, student achievement of educational goals, and student learning. The 

institution assesses progress toward achieving its stated goals and makes decisions regarding 

improvement through an ongoing and systematic cycle of evaluation, integrated planning, 

resource allocation, implementation, and re-evaluation. 

The ORPG has conducted numerous studies and surveys to provide evidence of student 

learning outcomes. Executive summaries of these reports are available in the ORPG web 

site (http://www.saddleback.edu/SS/orpg/). The results of these studies are used to improve 

academic programs and student services. 

20. PUBLIC INFORMATION 

The institution provides a catalog for its constituencies with precise, accurate, and current 

information concerning the following: 

General Information 

• Official Name, Address(es), Telephone Number(s), and Web Site Address of the 

Institution 

• Educational Mission 

• Course, Program, and Degree Offerings 

• Academic Calendar and Program Length 

• Academic Freedom Statement 

• Available Student Financial Aid 

• Available Learning Resources 

• Names and Degrees of Administrators and Faculty 

• Names of Governing Board Members 

Requirements 

• Admissions 

• Student Fees and Other Financial Obligations 

• Degree, Certificates, Graduation and Transfer 


71


Major Policies Affecting Students 

• Academic Regulations, including Academic Honesty 

• Nondiscrimination 

• Acceptance of Transfer Credits 

• Grievance and Complaint Procedures 

• Sexual Harassment 

• Refund of Fees 

Locations or publications where other policies may be found 

This information is readily available in the Saddleback College Catalog, the Schedule of 

Classes, the Student Handbook, and the college web site (http://www.saddleback.edu). 

Copies of these documents are available for consultation in all division offices and the 

library. SOCCCD board policies are likewise available in all division offices, the library, and 

the district web site (http://www.socccd.org/board/boardpolicies.asp). 

21. RELATIONS WITH THE ACCREDITING COMMISSION 

The institution provides assurance that it adheres to the eligibility requirements and 

accreditation standards and policies of the Commission, describes itself in identical terms to 

all its accrediting agencies, communicates any changes in its accredited status, and agrees to 

disclose information required by the Commission to carry out its accrediting responsibilities. 

The institution will comply with Commission requests, directives, decisions and policies, and 

will make complete, accurate, and honest disclosure. Failure to do so is sufficient reason, 

in and of itself, for the Commission to impose a sanction, or to deny or revoke candidacy or 

accreditation. 

A statement of accreditation appears in the college catalog. 


2004 

standard one Accreditation Self-Study Report 

Institutional Mission and Effectiveness 

Norman Weston, Faculty (Chair) 

Lisa Silveira, Faculty 

Kevin Cook, Classified 

Rocky Cifone, Administration 

The institution demonstrates strong commitment to a mission that emphasizes 

achievement of student learning and to communicating the mission internally and 

externally. The institution uses analyses of quantitative and qualitative data and 

analysis in an ongoing and systematic cycle of evaluation, integrated planning, 

implementation, and re-evaluation to verify and improve the effectiveness by which the 

mission is accomplished.


A. Mission 

The institution has a statement of mission that defines the institution’s broad 

educational purposes, its intended student population, and its commitment to achieving 

student learning. 

1. The institution establishes student learning programs and services aligned with its 

purposes, its character, and its student population. 

Description 

Saddleback College has a clearly defined mission statement that reads: 

Our mission is to provide access to learning opportunities that promote student 

success; to foster intellectual growth, individual expression, and character 

development; and to support a dynamic environment of innovation and collegiality. 

The college’s goals are modeled on the South Orange County Community College District 

(SOCCCD) Mission, Philosophy and Functions. In concert with the mission statement, a 

primary goal of the college is to provide all students with a comprehensive post-secondary 

education and a full range of student services. This is achieved through the college’s general 

education curriculum, associate degree programs, occupational/vocational education 

certificate programs, remedial and basic skills instruction, lower division transfer education, 

counseling and student services, Emeritus Institute, and community education (1.1, 1.2). 

The college regularly analyzes data on student diversity, age, gender, ethnicity, enrollment 

patterns, assessment, orientation and matriculation statistics, as well as many other factors in 

order to provide the most comprehensive student services possible (1.3, 1.4). 

Appraisal 

In 2003, the college completed a comprehensive review and revision of its mission, goals, 

and functions statement. The college must, however, continue the planning cycle established 

in Strategic Directions 2000 (SD 2000) to ensure that planning is a fully integrated and 

coherent process. 

At this time it is unclear how the recent reorganization of the Office of Research Planning 

and Grants (ORPG) will impact the institution’s coordinated planning process and its ability 

to assess its student population on a systematic basis. It is also unclear how the new, districtled, 

Goals Action Plan will affect or change the college’s planning process. 

The Student Satisfaction Survey 2003, administered in spring 2003, indicated that the 

institution meets or exceeds the expectations of the majority of students with respect to 

academic programs and student services (1.5). 

74 

Standard One: Institutional Mission and Effectiveness


The Employee Voice 2003, a campuswide employee satisfaction survey administered in 

fall 2003, is an integral component of the self study process. In this survey, 41 percent of 

full-time only (FTO) respondents agreed with the statement that, “the college is working 

toward fulfilling its vision and mission,” while 17 percent disagreed. Of some concern is 

that 36 percent of FTO respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with this statement. That so 

many faculty and staff have no opinion about the college’s fulfillment of its mission raises 

questions about why this is the case (1.6). 

Planning Agenda 

• The college will broaden awareness of its mission by highlighting the mission’s 

fundamental role in defining college programs and services. 

• The college will take the necessary steps to ensure that it has the research capability 

to survey its student population and develop appropriate learning programs and 

services. 

2. The mission statement is approved by the governing board and published. 

Description 

The SOCCCD Board of Trustees (BOT) approved the college mission statement in 2000. It 

is published in the Saddleback College Catalog, the Schedule of Classes, college web site, 

and planning documents (1.2, 1.7). The college mission statement was developed through the 

collegewide planning process established by the College Planning Council (CPC). See B.2, 

below. 

Appraisal 

The college meets the standard. 


N/A 

3. Using the institution’s governance and decision–making processes, the institution 

reviews its mission statement on a regular basis and revises it as necessary. 

Description 

The college reviews its mission statement regularly through the CPC and other planning and 

decision-making groups. The most recent review was in 2003. 

The Goals Action Plan Task Force defines as Goal #1 to “review and revise, as necessary, 

college, division, and/or department/unit mission statements,” and to, “support all divisions 

and/or departments in the creation or revision of mission statements to be consistent with 

Standard One: Institutional Mission and Effectiveness 75


the college mission statements.” These activities are scheduled to be completed by fall 2004 

(1.8). 

Appraisal 



N/A 

4. The institution’s mission is central to institutional planning and decision making. 

Description 

Strategic Directions 2000 (SD 2000), the college’s strategic plan, is the outcome of a longrange 

planning effort led by ORPG. SD 2000 adopts the institution’s mission to establish its 

planning principles, adds core values, and states that it “offers priority initiatives and clearly 

articulated goals and objectives that support the college vision and mission.” The clearly 

articulated goals and objectives were defined from the vision, mission, and core values. SD 

2000 was revised in spring 2003 (1.3). 

In June 2003, the SOCCCD implemented a new planning process called Goals Action Plan. 

The chancellor requested that Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College align college 

goals and action plans with the district’s adopted goals. College leadership coordinated a 

process to mesh SD 2000 to the new District Goals Action Plan template. The College Goals 

Action Plan Task-Force worked with the new template to incorporate the district goals into 

the college’s revised annual plan. The College Goals Action Task-Force responded to the 

district-led planning directive and aligned Initiatives, Goals, and Objectives from SD2000 

(1.8). 

Appraisal 

The 1998 self study stated that “planning must become part of the institutional culture” 

and that “coordination between the college and the district (whose administrative decisions 

directly affect the college’s own decision making) must be improved.” As a result, the 2001 

Accreditation Midterm Report detailed how this planning agenda was/is being implemented, 

including the establishment of regular meetings between college and district administration 

and leadership. Current meetings include those of the Deans’ Cabinet, President’s Council, 

Chancellor’s Cabinet, District Resource Allocation Council, District Management Council, 

the Educational Services Coordinating Council, and regular division and department chair 

meetings (1.9). 

76 



The current College Goals Action Plan supports the college vision and mission. Items 41 and 

42 of the EV 2003 surveyed employee perceptions about fulfillment of the college’s vision 

and mission and use of the SD 2000 as a decision-making guide. In response to item 41, 

forty-one percent of FTO agreed that the college is working to fulfill its vision and mission, 

36 percent gave a neutral response, and 23 percent disagreed. In response to item 42, 

familiarity with the planning and decision-making process is a worrisome 31 percent while 

55 percent had no opinion (1.6). 


• The current College Goals Action Plan must articulate how college goals are aligned 

with and derived from the college’s mission statement. 

• College administration will take every available opportunity to articulate the 

centrality of the college mission to institutional planning and decision-making. 



B. Improving Institutional Effectiveness 

The institution demonstrates a conscious effort to produce and support student 

learning, measures that learning, assesses how well learning is occurring, and makes 

changes to improve student learning. The institution also organizes its key processes 

and allocates its resources to effectively support student learning. The institution 

demonstrates its effectiveness by providing 1) evidence of the achievement of student 

learning outcomes and 2) evidence of institution and program performance. The 

institution uses ongoing and systematic evaluation and planning to refine its key 

processes and improve student learning. 

1. The institution maintains an ongoing, collegial, self-reflective dialogue about the 

continuous improvement of student learning and institutional processes. 

Description 

College faculty and staff consistently work to improve student learning through on- and 

off-site staff development at the college, division, and department levels. Many faculty and 

administrators have participated in on- and off-campus workshops to learn about student 

learning outcomes (SLOs) and how to incorporate them into institutional processes such as 

curriculum, program review, and college planning (1.10). 

In fall 2003, the Saddleback College Academic Senate approved a program review process 

and the Curriculum Committee regularly reviews and revises individual courses (1.11). Both 

processes have SLOs imbedded in the procedures. See St. 2.A.2. 

The SSS 2003 and the EV 2003 assess student and employee institutional perceptions and are 

an integral component of the self-reflective dialogue. Both surveys achieved high response 

rates and indicate a desire to engage in institutional dialogue (1.5, 1.6). 

Appraisal 

Overall, the EV 2003 indicates that college employees feel positive about the steps the 

institution is taking toward expanding knowledge and developing skills needed to implement 

SLOs in academic programs and student services. When asked whether they believe the 

college provides a high quality learning experience for students, 70 percent of FTO agreed 

with the statement. 

With regard to institutional processes, there was less consensus and most respondents either 

disagreed with or had no opinion in response to statements concerning faculty participation 

in planning and decision-making. For example, only 35 percent of FTO felt that the college 

president effectively uses the shared governance process to make collegewide decisions and 

even fewer (28 and 21 percent of FTO respectively) felt that faculty and staff were provided 

78 



adequate opportunities to participate in the budget and hiring processes. Overall, 36 percent 

of FTO felt satisfied with the amount of opportunities provided to participate in collegewide 

planning (1.6). 

Dissatisfaction with shared governance most likely reflects ongoing disagreements about 

the board policy revision process, lack of effective means of participating in the process 

(specifically the faculty hiring policy), and the allocation of basic aid funds. Low morale, 

mostly rooted in district-college tensions, undoubtedly affects the views of some faculty 

and staff regarding shared governance opportunities because they may not feel their input is 

valued. 

The EV 2003 and SSS 2003 were administered as part of the analysis to complete this self 

study. In other words, while these surveys are important self-evaluative tools, they are not a 

regular activity. 


• The college will incorporate employee and student surveys into its annual plan. The 

college will analyze and utilize the findings to promote ongoing institutional selfevaluation 

and self-improvement. 

• College and faculty leadership will work to develop concrete measures to improve 

institutional climate that fosters ongoing and self-reflective dialogue for improving 

student learning and institutional processes. 

2. The institution sets goals to improve its effectiveness consistent with its stated 

purposes. The institution articulates its goals and states the objectives derived from 

them in measurable terms so that the degree to which they are achieved can be 

determined and widely discussed. The institutional members understand these goals 

and work collaboratively toward their achievement. 

Description 

The College Planning Council (CPC) developed the planning infrastructure and SD 2000, the 

college’s strategic plan. SD 2000 defines four broad goals that should be used in an ongoing 

basis. Each goal has clearly defined objectives that are measurable. The objectives are precise 

and reflect the current college environment. While the broad goals remain unchanged, the 

objectives should change every year to reflect current circumstances at the college. These 

annual objectives may be the foundation for the college Goals Action Plan (1.3). 

In summer 2003, the SOCCCD instituted an annual planning program called District Goals 

Action Plan. The college’s Goals Action Plan, based on the district’s plan, increased the 

goals from four to twelve. Each goal includes anticipated outcomes and action strategies or 

activities necessary to accomplish the goal. Compared with SD 2000, these new goals are 

more specific, reflect the current situation, and thus require annual review and revision (1.8). 



Appraisal 

The EV 2003 shows a widespread lack of awareness or confusion with collegewide planning 

processes. When asked to respond to the statement that SD 2000 is widely used by college 

administration as a decision-making guide, 55 percent of FTO had no opinion. This figure 

might reflect a lack of knowledge or indifference about institutional planning. Despite the 

CPC’s efforts, most faculty and staff members know little or nothing about college longrange 

planning (1.6). 


• College leadership will work to clarify confusion between college short and longrange 

plans and the Goals Action Plan. 

• The college will improve communication through shared governance to involve more 

of the college community in its annual goals development. 

3. The institution assesses progress toward achieving its stated goals and makes 

decisions regarding the improvement of institutional effectiveness in an ongoing 

and systematic cycle of evaluation, integrated planning, resource allocation, 

implementation, and reevaluation. Evaluation is based on analyses of both 

quantitative and qualitative data. 

Description 

In 2000, the college published its Comprehensive Planning Framework (CPF), the result 

of a two-year effort by the CPC to develop a comprehensive planning process. The CPC, 

facilitated by the institutional researcher, comprised a core group of college representatives 

from all college constituencies (39 members including faculty, administrators, classified 

staff, and students). This core group developed a plan for the continuous development, 

oversight, and communication of long- and short-term collegewide planning. The goal of the 

CPC was to involve as many individuals and constituency groups in the planning process as 

possible through hands-on planning activities and dialogue. This goal was partially achieved 

by expanding and shifting the core group of planning experts so the college would begin to 

embrace planning as a normal ongoing activity and a planning culture would soon develop 

(1.12). 

The CPC began by building a comprehensive planning process that encompassed an 

overall institutional strategy focused on building and sustaining institutional effectiveness. 

The process was based on a planning framework developed by the CPC that established a 

structure for planning efforts at the college. The framework characterized best practices in 

planning and organizational development and these best practices became the basis for the 

strategic planning process. 

80 



With this framework, the CPC launched the strategic planning activity and produced 

Strategic Directions 2000, which is designed as a four-year planning process with two 

embedded cycles: 1) planning, and 2) action. The process includes a mechanism for annual 

review and reevaluation based on organizational indicators of effectiveness and performance 

outcome measures. 

The initial planning cycle begins with an environmental scan that collects and analyzes 

economic, social, demographic, technological, political, and educational data. Integrated 

planning followed with the establishment of assumptions and strategies covering four 

distinct areas: Promoting Student Success, Sustaining Standards of Excellence, Responding 

to Educational Consumerism, and Supporting an Essential Learning Environment. Resource 

allocation was addressed in terms of hiring guidelines driven by program needs and a flexible 

budget process to facilitate response to changing or evolving institutional requirements. 

The second planning cycle involved the implementation of annual strategic action plans. 

These annual plans detailed specific goals and objectives under the four assumptions and 

strategies listed above. Each of the 21 objectives includes key action steps along with 

administrative responsibilities, outcome measures, and timelines. The plan includes an annual 

review and revision of all the components. Reevaluation, the final step in the process, is 

discussed below in 1.B.6 (1.3). 

The 2003-2004 college goals reflect the work of the Goals Action Plan Task Force to mesh 

the two planning processes. Please see description and appraisal of the new, district-led 

planning cycle under 1.B.2 above (1.8). 

Appraisal 

All components of integrated planning are in place, but the direct link between planning and 

resource allocation is unclear. The EV 2003 points out that 55 percent of FTO faculty and 

staff had no opinion or knowledge of the institutional strategic plan. This widespread lack 

of familiarity with institutional planning is exacerbated by the confusion resulting from the 

new, district-led, annual planning process. The status and direction of long-range planning at 

the college is also unclear because the college must develop new annual plans in response to 

District Goals Action Plans without clear connection to long-range institutional plans. One 

of the main criticisms of the Goals Action Plan, in addition to the lack of connection between 

resource allocation and planning, is that the process was defined by the SOCCCD without 

the extensive participation that characterized the previous planning process that aimed to 

cultivate a collegewide culture of planning and research. The district deadlines required 

completion of the Goals Action Plan during summer 2003 when few faculty were available 

for meaningful consultation. This was the beginning of a new planning process that has 

potential for being a valuable tool. It should be noted that the 2004-2005 Goals Action Plan 

cycle started in the middle of spring 2004 (1.6). 




• The college will develop a shared governance process to ensure a unified approach 

to resource allocation as it relates to hiring, program review, planning, retention, and 

enrollment management. 

• The college will involve more members from shared governance groups in the 

evaluation and improvement of the college planning process. 

• The college will work with the district to establish a longer 3-5 year planning cycle 

that is linked to the annual Goals Action Plan. 

4. The institution provides evidence that the planning process is broad-based, offers 

opportunities for input by appropriate constituencies, allocates necessary resources, 

and leads to improvement of institutional effectiveness. 

Description 

The college has established numerous committees that provide opportunities for collegial 

dialogue regarding resource allocation, instructional, and student services programs (http:// 

www.saddleback.edu/gov/senate/acsen/committees.html). 

The ORPG was created in summer 1999 as a direct result of a recommendation made by the 

1998 accreditation visiting team. The ORPG and the CPC launched an institutional dialogue 

to develop a research and planning culture at the college. 

The ORPG produced annual reports to highlight college planning activities. These reports 

demonstrate that planning is a broad-based process that includes representation from 

administration, faculty, classified staff, and students. The results of this institutional dialog 

are the Strategic Directions 2000, the Comprehensive Planning Framework, and the 

Annual College Outcomes and Effectiveness Report. These publications highlight ongoing 

college activities that create meaningful dialogue about educational programs and services, 

equipment and technology, budget, long-range planning, and staff development. These 

planning documents incorporate relevant data from effectiveness surveys and other sources to 

enhance institutional effectiveness (1.3, 1.12, 1.13). 

In summer 2003, the SOCCCD required that the college adjust its annual planning agenda 

to correspond to the District Goals Action Plan (See B.3 above). In fall 2003, the SOCCCD 

and both colleges reexamined the research and planning functions and requirements of the 

colleges. Research and planning support for Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College 

was added at the district level. Currently the college research analyst is assisting with 

program review and other research needs. In May 2004, the college hired a grants writer who 

joined the ORPG. The SOCCCD plans to hire a director of research who will have district 

and college research responsibilities and will work closely with the college research analyst. 

82 



Appraisal 

Since summer 1999 the college has made noteworthy progress in its planning and research 

functions to improve institutional effectiveness. At present, however, there is some 

uncertainty about how college research and planning needs will be supported. The recent 

establishment of the District Goals Action Plan has altered the role of the Annual Outcomes 

and Effectiveness Report in college planning. The original intention of the Annual Outcomes 

and Effectiveness Report was to use it as a planning tool for future, long-range, action 

planning. The new Goals Action Plan emphasizes annual planning, which requires that the 

college clarify how the new process will work and how it fits in with the previous plans (1.8). 

The EV 2003 demonstrates that faculty and staff perceptions about planning warrant focused 

attention. The survey indicates that 55 percent of FTO respondents remain neutral regarding 

how well the SD 2000 is being used and implemented into the decision-making process (1.6). 


• The college will work with the district to clarify college planning and research needs 

and functions and will communicate the results to the college community. 

5. The institution uses documented assessment results to communicate matters of 

quality assurance to appropriate constituencies. 

Description 

In fall 2003, the college administered the Student Satisfaction Survey 2003 (SSS 2003) and 

Employee Voice 2003 (EV 2003) to support the 2004 self study process. The Academic 

Senate approved the program review model in fall 2003 and two academic programs used 

the new program review template to assess their quality and effectiveness. Several other 

departments will complete program review in spring 2004 using this template. Student 

services began its program reviews in fall 2002. ORPG coordinated, analyzed, and reported 

the results of the student and staff surveys and supported the program reviews (1.5, 1.6, 1.11, 

1.14). 

Appraisal 

The SSS 2003 shows that although there is always room for improvement, in the eyes of 

its students, Saddleback College is achieving many of its goals quite well. The majority of 

students feel satisfied with the college’s instructional and student services programs. The 

majority of students also feels that college services are sufficiently funded. Similarly, the 

EV 2003 shows that 70 percent of FTO respondents agreed that the college provides a high 

quality learning experience for its students (1.5, 1.6). 



The program review process has been established and approved. Although initially there was 

some concern about research assistance for program review, the college research analyst has 

been providing adequate support. 


• The college and district will assess research and analysis support for program review 

and provide additional support, if needed, to fully implement an effective program 

review process. 

6. The institution assures the effectiveness of its ongoing planning and resource 

allocation processes by systematically reviewing and modifying, as appropriate, all 

parts of the cycle, including institutional and other research efforts. 

Description 

The CPC developed the Balanced Measurement System (BMS) as an integral component of 

comprehensive and systematic planning. The BMS was used to ensure annual reevaluation 

and improvement. It was designed to translate the college’s vision and mission into tangible 

outcomes measures. The BMS consists of a set of performance measures with appropriate 

benchmarks and sources of information that addresses four key questions: 

1. How well does the college respond to the needs of our students, the community, 

business, and the state? 

2. How well does the college respond to the needs of our college leadership, 

management, staff, faculty, and the Board of Trustees? 

3. How well does the college manage its productivity and fiscal responsibility? 

4. How well does the college continuously improve and create value? 

In fall 2002, ORPG published the first Annual Outcomes and Effectiveness Report. This 

report included an assessment of the college’s progress toward the strategies and goals 

outlined in SD 2000. The analysis of the quantitative data was completed by the ORPG, 

while qualitative responses were provided through written evaluations from the college 

community. As a result of this reevaluation, 55 specific action items were recommended for 

the 2002-2003 College Action Plan (1.13, 1.15). 

Appraisal 

It remains to be determined how the new District Goals Action Plan will affect or change 

college planning. Concerns about the lack of a multi-year planning cycle and the lack of 

awareness and participation of faculty and staff in collegewide planning have been discussed 

in B.2 and B.3 above. 

As the goals are reviewed and changed each year, reevaluation should be a natural part of the 

annual process. However, a systematic, collegewide process has not yet been established. 

84 




• The college will analyze and revise the planning documents developed by ORPG and 

CPC to determine how to use these institutional plans with the new District Goals 

Action Plan template to advance institutional effectiveness. 

7. The institution assesses its evaluation mechanisms through a systematic review of 

their effectiveness in improving instructional programs, student support services, 

and library and other learning support services. 

Description 

Among the 1998 self study planning agendas was that, “The college will conduct program 

reviews following the schedule established by the Academic Senate.” 

In fall 2003, the Program Review Committee presented a draft program review and 

improvement model, with appraisal guide, data sheet, and schedule. The model was 

successfully piloted in fall 2003. A timeline was established for all division/departments to be 

reviewed at least once every six years. 

The Academic Senate approved the program review model for student services in spring 

2003 and several departments/programs have completed their assessments during summer 

and fall 2003. In addition, vocational and certificate programs have established review 

procedures that involve advisory committees and external reviews by the corresponding 

accreditation body (1.11). 

Appraisal 

The college has made good progress since the 1998 self study. 


• The college will use relevant data from student services and academic program 

reviews to improve student learning. 



References 

1.1 SOCCCD web site, http://www.socccd.org/ 

1.2 Saddleback College Catalog 

1.3 Strategic Directions 2000 

1.4 Data Sourcebook, Fall 2002 

1.5 Student Satisfaction Survey 2003 

1.6 Employee Voice 2003 

1.7 Saddleback College Schedule of Classes 

1.8 Goals Action Plan 

1.9 Accreditation Midterm Report 

1.10 List of trainings or faculty development records 

1.11 Instructional Program Review System 

1.12 Comprehensive Planning Framework 

1.13 Annual Outcomes Report 

1.14 Student Services Program Review 

1.15 Balanced Measurement System 

86 


2004 

standard two Accreditation Self-Study Report 

Student Learning Programs and Services 

Stephen Tamanaha, Counseling Faculty, Chair, 2003-2004 

Dawn Lindsay, Counseling Faculty, Chair, 2002-2003 

Howard Adams, Faculty, HSHSEI, Chair Curriculum 

Ana Maria Cobos, Faculty, LALR, Library 

Phillip Erquiaga, Student Trustee 

Jennifer Forouzesh, Faculty, HSHS 

Gail Hooper, DSPS Counselor 

Victor Manchik, Classified, CSP- Research Analyst 

Tammy Rice, Director of Nursing & Special Projects 

Jeanne Smith, Faculty, MSE 

Rita Tamer, Faculty, HSHS, Sign Language 

Don Mineo, Classified, CSP-Matriculation


The institution offers high-quality instructional programs, student support services, and 

library and learning support services that facilitate and demonstrate the achievement 

of stated student learning outcomes. The institution provides an environment that 

supports learning, enhances student understanding and appreciation of diversity, 

and encourages personal and civic responsibility as well as intellectual, aesthetic, and 

personal development for all of its students. 

A. Instructional Programs 

The institution offers high-quality instructional programs in recognized and emerging 

fields of study that culminate in identified student outcomes leading to degrees, 

certificates, employment or transfer to other higher education institutions or programs 

consistent with its mission. Instructional programs are systematically assessed in 

order to assure currency, improve teaching and learning strategies, and achieve stated 

student learning outcomes. The provisions of this standard are broadly applicable to all 

instructional activities offered in the name of the institution. 

1. The institution demonstrates that all instructional programs, regardless of location 

or means of delivery, address and meet the mission of the institution and uphold its 

integrity. 1 

a. The institution identifies and seeks to meet the varied educational needs of its 

students through programs consistent with their educational preparation and 

the diversity, demographics, and economy of its communities. The institution 

relies upon research and analysis to identify student learning needs and to 

assess progress toward achieving stated learning outcomes. 

Description 

Individual college department and program reviews assist the college to identify student 

needs and achievement of learning outcomes (See A.2.f). The Office of Research, Planning, 

and Grants (ORPG) uses data gathered from research, surveys, and program reviews to 

advance college planning. 

ORPG research has culminated in the publication of Strategic Directions 2000 (SD 2000), 

the college strategic plan (2.1), improvement of transfer programs, and the creation of new 

1 

Policy on Distance Learning, Including Electronically-Mediated Learning. 

88 Standard Two: Student Learning Programs and Services


occupational certificates such as Digital Post Production and Aquarium and Aquaculture. 

In spring 2003, the Enrollment Management Committee was formed to define strategies 

and activities for an annual enrollment plan that will become an integral component of the 

college’s planning process. 

Appraisal 

The Program Review Committee has approved a schedule of program reviews to research 

student learning needs that are consistent with educational goals, academic skills, and 

community background. Counseling Services conducted program review in spring 2003. In 

the fall of 2003, four programs (Physics, International Education, Honors, and the Center for 

Career and Life Development) completed program reviews. According to the program review 

schedule, approved by the Academic Senate, eight more programs (Library Science, EOPS, 

DSPS, Chemistry, Physical Education, Reading, English, and Horticulture Science) are 

scheduled to conduct program reviews in spring 2004 (2.2). 

The two colleges and district have restructured the research function and added district level 

support. College research support for program review is currently being provided by the 

college research analyst. 


• The college will define its research agenda by using the shared governance process to 

identify student learning outcomes and improve programs and services. 

b. The institution utilizes delivery systems and modes of instruction compatible 

with the objectives of the curriculum and appropriate to the current and future 

needs of its students. 1 

Description 

The delivery systems and modes of instruction are identified in the official course outline 

as “method of instruction.” Faculty selects the most appropriate method of instruction for a 

course based on intended outcomes and student population. Some courses may be offered 

by more than one method of instruction based on student need. At present, a faculty member 

may select from among 22 valid methods of instruction in order to determine the most 

appropriate delivery method for a specific course. 

Appraisal 

Currently, the faculty has adequate methods of instruction for traditional courses. As course 

offerings expand for mediated and distance education courses, additional valid methods of 

instruction will be needed to meet Carnegie unit requirements. 

1 



89



• Effective fall 2004, the college will increase the valid number of methods of 

instruction to accommodate various methods used in mediated and distance education 

courses. 

c. The institution identifies student learning outcomes for courses, programs, 

certificates, and degrees; assesses student achievement of those outcomes; and 

uses assessment results to make improvements. 

Description 

Beginning in fall 2002, courses approved by the Curriculum Committee included learning 

outcomes in the course outline. Individual syllabi for these courses reflect these learning 

outcomes. 

All academic programs do not have defined learning outcomes. However, the mission 

statement of the program includes the program’s goals and objectives, which state the 

learning objectives of the program. Core requirements for the associate degree define 

learning outcomes for the four areas of competency: Language and Rationality, Mathematics, 

Reading, and Information Competency. 

All college level courses include written and oral assignments to assess learning outcomes. 

Programs evaluate achievement using a variety of instruments. For example, studio courses 

may utilize exams but also rely on portfolios and critiqued performance; physical education 

course assessment relies more on performance and/or journals rather than on written 

examinations; lab science courses use a combination of experiment, investigation, and 

tests of hypotheses; health care courses use a combination of examinations, development 

of treatment plans, and clinical performance standards. Some business courses are also 

performance based. Other vocational programs such as Nursing, Cosmetology, Emergency 

Medical Technician (EMT), and Paramedic use state licensure as a measure of student 

success. Computer Maintenance Technology has A+ training and ServSafe training is for 

Sanitation and Safety in Foods. Most other courses use exams and/or papers to assess student 

achievement of learning outcomes. 

Students are pre-assessed in mathematics, English, and reading. Students must complete state 

approved matriculation tests before they can enroll in many of these courses. Efforts have 

been made to assess programs and to make changes especially when programs experience 

declining enrollment. Some programs, such as Legal Studies; Psychiatric Technician; 

Construction, Millwork, and Cabinet Making have been eliminated. 

In February 2003, an ad-hoc Enrollment Management Committee was formed to define 

strategies and activities for student retention and to improve services to current and potential 

students. A permanent committee, comprised of the vice presidents, the PIO/Marketing 



Director, and Academic Senate representatives, will collaborate to achieve college goal # 4 of 

the Goals Action Plan that addresses enrollment management (2.3, 2.4). 

Appraisal 

Presently the college has no policy or procedures for program elimination although the 

Academic Senate is currently working on a draft policy. The Enrollment Management 

Committee has recently been reactivated since it presented its initial Enrollment Management 

Plan in spring 2003. 


• The Academic Senate will draft and approve a program elimination policy. 

2. The institution assures the quality and improvement of all instructional courses 

and programs offered in the name of the institution, including collegiate, 

developmental and pre-collegiate courses and programs, continuing and community 

education, study abroad, short term training courses and programs, programs for 

international students, and contract or other special programs, regardless of type of 

credit awarded, delivery mode or location. 1, 2 

a. The institution uses established procedures to design, identify learning outcomes 

for, approve, administer, deliver and evaluate courses and programs. The 

institution recognizes the central roles of its faculty for establishing quality and 

improving instructional courses and programs. 

Description 

All academic courses, programs, certificates and degrees are approved by the Curriculum 

Committee, the Academic Senate, the vice-president for instruction, the president and the 

BOT. In the final approval step, the BOT relies primarily upon the recommendation of the 

faculty in academic and professional matters. 

Quality review and the approval process begin with instructional faculty and department 

chairs, the content experts. All courses, regardless of the type of credit awarded, undergo 

a technical and quality review after the initial faculty review, to assure that the objectives, 

outcomes, and methods of evaluation are clearly stated and that assignments are appropriate 

for the course. Additionally, all pre-requisites, co-requisites, recommended preparation 

courses, and course limitations are reviewed and validated. Following the technical review, 

course additions, changes, and deletions are presented to the Curriculum Committee for 

1 

Policy on Distance Learning, Including Electronically-Mediated Learning; 

2 

Policy of Good Practice in Overseas International Education Programs for Non-U.S. Nationals. 


91


consideration. The Curriculum Committee consists of faculty and deans from all college 

divisions. Once approved by the Academic Senate, curriculum is forwarded to the Vice 

President for Instruction with the recommendation for approval by the BOT. Following board 

approval, course additions and revisions appear in the college catalog published in the fall. 

The Curriculum Procedures and Resources contains a detailed description of the curriculum 

approval process (2.5). 

The Community Education program complements the academic curriculum by offering notfor-credit, 

short-term, fee-based, seminars and workshops. The Academic Senate and a subcommittee 

of the Curriculum Committee review the Spectrum, the Community Education 

schedule of classes, which is published and mailed to district residents three times per year. 

Community Education classes are developed and offered in response to community needs 

as identified by feedback from participants, past enrollment in classes, popularity of similar 

programs offered elsewhere, and current trends. 

Appraisal 

The college has an effective process for establishing quality courses. This process includes 

faculty and administrative involvement. Some concerns have been raised by faculty about 

needing better coordination between the credit and fee-based Community Education classes 

to ensure each is fulfilling its appropriate role within the college mission. Concerns also have 

been raised about how well students are meeting course objectives and how/whether SLO 

results are being incorporated into fee-based Community Education classes. 


• The Curriculum Committee will examine the approval process of the Community 

Education program to ensure that it does not conflict with courses in the credit 

programs. 

• The Academic Senate with individual faculty will study methods of assessing how 

well students master course content and how to evaluate course effectiveness for 

producing meaningful SLO results. 

b. The institution relies on faculty expertise and the assistance of advisory committees 

when appropriate to identify competency levels and measurable student learning 

outcomes for courses, certificates, programs including general and vocational 

education, and degrees. The institution regularly assesses student progress towards 

achieving those outcomes. 

Description 

Many instructional, student services, and vocational programs have advisory committees 

that assist in developing new programs and/or in revising existing curriculum. These 

committees are composed of students, faculty, staff, and private industry and meet annually. 



Based on the input of various advisory groups, faculty works to bridge the needs of the 

community work force with the courses offered by the college. Specific examples of 

advisory committees are evidenced in Business Science, Advanced Technology and Applied 

Science, Honors, Journalism, Counseling, Emeritus Institute, Child Development Center, 

Extended Opportunity Program & Services (EOPS), Special Services (DSPS), Transfer 

Center, Matriculation and High School Advisory Committees. The Technology Preparatory 

Committee also determines equivalencies between high school and college courses and 

establishes articulation agreement allowing conferral of college credit for selected courses to 

high school students. There also is a Regional Consortium in Interior Design. 

In spring 2003, all advisory committees in Business Science met as one group. After 

each program committee discussed program specifics, all advisory committee members 

reconvened and were asked to rank a list of SLOs and comment on their validity. The group 

modified the list and then voted to accept standards for student learning. The members 

also evaluate the individual courses to determine viability and sequencing of courses in the 

programs. This activity will be repeated each year to ensure that the SLOs remain viable and 

reflect current industry standards. 

The Emeritus Institute Advisory committee meets at least once every semester. The director 

and department chairs present an overview of programs, facilities, and curriculum. Advisory 

committee members discuss community and student needs. This process helps to ensure that 

community and student needs are addressed and met whenever possible. 

Appraisal 

Advisory committees are active with vocational, student service, and the Emeritus programs. 

Their guidance assists departments, programs, and services to identify SLOs and to maintain 

program content current. Tracking of student vocational success and achievement has been 

done for some programs. This tracking should be expanded to include all vocational/technical 

and student services programs. 


• The college will track and research student success in vocational/technical and 

student services programs. 

c. High quality instruction and appropriate breadth, depth, rigor, sequencing, time 

to completion, and synthesis of learning characterize all programs. 

Description 

The faculty place courses within programs in order to ensure student success. Courses within 

programs are sequenced to assess student achievement of learning outcomes and to ensure 

that learning expectations of courses within programs are consistent. Effective sequencing 


93


of coursework occurs within all occupational certificates and within Associate of Arts (AA)/ 

Associate of Science (AS) degrees. 

Coursework leading to a degree, vocational skills award or an occupational certificate, is 

offered during the fall, spring, and summer semesters and is sequenced to enable students to 

complete requirements in a timely fashion. 

Quality of instruction is maintained by eliminating courses from the catalog that have not 

been offered in three years and by reviewing vocational coursework every two years. High 

quality instruction is ensured through the hiring process for both full- and part-time faculty. 

All faculty must meet minimum teaching standards. Through the Office of Articulation, 

courses used for lower division transfer are reviewed by Saddleback College faculty and 

by instructors from the college or university to which the course will transfer. Articulation 

agreements are developed to ensure the college’s curriculum is equal in depth and rigor to the 

courses offered by the institutions to which Saddleback College students transfer. 

Appraisal 

These processes ensure a very high rate of acceptance of courses for transfer to four-year 

institutions. 



N/A 

d. The institution uses delivery modes and teaching methodologies that reflect the 

diverse needs and learning styles of its students. 1 

Description 

Delivery modes and teaching methodologies are determined by the faculty. Effective fall 

2004 semester, 22 methods of instruction will be available for courses. The DE program has 

been expanding rapidly so that in the 2003-2004 academic year, 149 sections were offered by 

mediated modes of instruction, an increase of 60 sections from 2002-2003. Similarly, census 

figures for the DE program for fall 2002 were 2023 and 2765 in fall 2003. 

The Distance Education Committee, a sub-committee of the Curriculum Committee, 

reviews and approves new distance education courses. The DE Committee ensures that the 

proposed method of instruction of new courses is appropriate for the curriculum. The district 

has mandated the colleges increase their DE program but the college has been cautious in 

responding to this mandate because transfer institutions do not always approve credit for 

DE versions of courses. Additionally, at present there is insufficient access to and support 

1 




for computer classrooms at the college for hybrid courses. A Distance Education Plan dated 

2003 is located in the Office of Distance Education (2.6). However, this plan has not been 

approved by the Academic Senate. 

The Emeritus Institute offers approved curriculum for a diverse population by offering 

off-campus, credit and non-credit courses for the older adult learner. Courses are offered 

in convenient locations such as senior centers and retirement communities. The Emeritus 

Institute (EI) offers over 200 sections covering all disciplines. All EI courses are reviewed 

and approved by the Curriculum Committee. 

Appraisal 

The Distance Education Committee has been active for several years in helping to improve 

and develop the college’s DE program and plan. However, because the committee must 

address and resolve numerous technical, transfer, and technology issues, it has been unable to 

assess the quality of the college’s DE program. 

The Emeritus Institute is a vital component of the college mission and has an enrollment 

of more 10,000 students. This program is designed, administrated, reviewed, and evaluated 

periodically under established institutional procedures. 


• The college will evaluate the quality of its DE program and will make appropriate 

recommendations to accommodate the rapidly expanding number of students. 

• The DE committee will evaluate, improve, and approve the college’s Distance 

Education Plan. 

e. The institution evaluates all courses and programs through an ongoing 

systematic review of their relevance, appropriateness, achievement of learning 

outcomes, currency, and future needs and plans. 

Description 

All courses undergo regular review and re-approval by the college faculty. Vocational courses 

are reviewed every two years; non-vocational courses are reviewed every six years or as 

needed. Recommendations for revision of courses may also arise from program review. 

Appraisal 

The college’s systematic review of its curriculum is serving students well. Program review, 

once fully implemented, will further strengthen the review process. 


• The college will complete the program review cycle approved by the Academic 

Senate. 


95


f. The institution engages in ongoing, systematic evaluation and integrated 

planning to assure currency and measure activity of its stated student learning 

outcomes for courses, certificates, programs including general and vocational 

education, and degrees. The institution systematically strives to improve those 

outcomes and makes the results available to appropriate constituencies. 

Description 

The ORPG was created in 1999 and has supported institutional research and facilitated 

institutional planning. The Director of ORPG facilitated the CPC and the strategic plan, SD 

2000. Instructional programs and departments rely on research and analysis provided by 

ORPG for program review. Student services departments rely on support from the research 

analyst for their program reviews. Research support for program review is goal # 4 of the 

2003-2004 Goals Action Plan (2.3). 

The College Planning Council (CPC) contributes planning direction for educational 

programs. This group sets priority goals for budgetary decisions for the college. The 

Facilities, Technology, Instructional Equipment, the Full-time Faculty Hiring and Classified 

Prioritization Committees make recommendations to the Budget Committee. 

The college values ongoing planning and systematic evaluation and has recently approved 

the program review process. The Program Review Committee and the Academic Senate 

developed and approved the program review schedule. Student Services conducted program 

review in 2003 and two instructional programs tested the new model in fall 2003. The 

Program Review Committee addresses the evaluation process of student learning outcomes 

within student services and instructional programs. This six-year cycle of review includes 

program mission statement, statistical data, satisfaction survey, descriptions, and appraisals. 

Program planning, evaluations, and resource allocation are also part of the process. While 

most program reviews are voluntary, some, such as nursing, have mandatory regular reviews 

by state and external agencies. Other vocational programs are reviewed every two years 

(2.2). 

Appraisal 

The college made commitments to ongoing planning and evaluation of programs and 

student learning outcomes. In fall 2003 the district and colleges reexamined the research and 

planning functions and requirements of the colleges and decided to consolidate research and 

planning support at the district level. Research support is currently being provided by the 

college research analyst. 


• The college will determine its institutional research requirements to identify student 

learning outcomes and needs and will identify the means to support this research. 



• The college will study program review recommendations in light of the college’s 

strategic plans and will support appropriate improvements. 

g. If an institution uses departmental course and/or program examinations, it 

validates their effectiveness in measuring student learning and minimizes test 

biases. 

Description 

The Matriculation Department administers standardized bias-minimal assessment tests for 

mathematics, English, reading, and English as a Second Language (ESL). These are state 

approved proficiency exams that provide information for student placement in math and 

English. A study of disproportionate impact for each test is completed every six years for 

validation of the instruments. 

The Nursing program uses two tests: Critical Thinking and the Test of Essential Academic 

Skills (TEAS) for placement and/or remediation and to define student learning style prior 

to acceptance into the program. Written standardized examinations at the completion of this 

program are yet another measure of student achievement. The National League for Nursing 

requires validity testing as part of its accreditation review. 

All tests are assessed for inter-rater reliability and content and construct validity. 

Appraisal 

Statewide reductions in matriculation allocations and staff promotions in 2002-2003 have 

resulted in unfilled positions and reduced services to students. Construction of a new college 

building resulted in the loss of the matriculation testing room. Although currently there is no 

permanent matriculation test site, the college has placed high priority on this need and has 

funded a new permanent location to come online in summer 2004. In April 2004, the college 

replaced one of the vacant Matriculation Specialist positions and has given priority to a third 

position in this department. 

The proposed 2004-2005 state budget places matriculation funds into the college’s base 

funding, which may provide the college with some flexibility to address the needs of the 

matriculation program. Matriculation program review is scheduled to take place in spring 

2007 when the program will be assessed and space and staffing needs will be re-examined. 


N/A 


97


h. The institution awards credit based on student achievement of the course’s 

stated learning outcomes. Units of credit awarded are consistent with 

institutional policies that reflect generally accepted norms or equivalencies in 

higher education. 

Description 

Each division/department awards academic credit based on the college’s grading policy and 

the completion of content objectives listed in the course syllabus. Student learning outcomes 

are stated as written behavioral objectives in course outlines and course syllabi. Achievement 

of the objectives at stated thresholds measures student success and validates credit awarded 

for courses. Academic regulations are outlined and defined in the Saddleback College 

Catalog (2.7). Graduation requirements, scholarly standards, probation, academic renewal, 

and credit options are consistent with other institutions of higher education. Units of credit 

awarded are based on the Carnegie unit. 

Appraisal 

Institutional processes to award credit based on student achievement are working well. The 

college meets the standard. 


N/A 

i. The institution awards degrees and certificates based on student achievement of 

a program’s stated learning outcomes. 

Description 

The college ensures that current and prospective students receive clear and accurate 

information about educational courses and programs. The institution describes its degrees 

and certificates in terms of their purpose, content, course requirements, and expected student 

learning outcomes. The Curriculum Committee reviews and approves each course outline. 

Degrees or certificates awarded are based on completion of published requirements of 

course work and experiential training. In every course, students receive a course syllabus 

that specifies learning objectives consistent with those in the officially approved course 

outline. The college’s curriculum process provides an avenue for consistent learning outcome 

statements and measures. Departments or programs requiring licensure or certification 

track learning outcomes in terms of student success on pre-licensure/pre-certification 

examinations. Students completing vocational and occupational certificates and degrees 

demonstrate technical and professional competencies that meet employment and other 

applicable standards. These students are prepared to sit for, petition, or apply for external 

licensure and certification. 



Appraisal 

Institutional processes to award degrees and certificates based on student achievement are 

working well. The college meets the standard. 


N/A 

3. The institution requires of all academic and vocational degree programs a 

component of general education based on a carefully considered philosophy that is 

clearly stated in its catalog. The institution, relying on the expertise of its faculty, 

determines the appropriateness of each course for inclusion in the general education 

curriculum by examining the stated learning outcomes for the course. 

Description 

The general education component for each degree program is defined in the Saddleback 

College Catalog (2.7). For A.A. and A.S. degrees, general education core requirements 

include language and rationality, mathematics competency, reading competency, and 

information competency. Breadth requirements include humanities and fine arts, natural 

sciences, social and behavioral sciences, life skills/critical thinking, cultural diversity, and 

physical education. 

The college catalog includes Saddleback College goals and clearly states that the rationale for 

general education is to provide an opportunity for students to learn principles and concepts 

“unique to and shared among various disciplines.” Effective reading, writing, speaking and 

critical thinking skills are curriculum elements of every college general education course. 

The process of establishing and reviewing the general education requirements evaluated 

through shared governance. Proposed courses are reviewed by department faculty, the 

department chair, and respective dean. The criteria are determined by college goals, the 

Curriculum Committee, and the Academic Senate. The Curriculum Committee and the 

Articulation Officer review each course for subject matter, rigor and depth, scope and level 

of material to be covered, and use of communication, critical thinking, and information 

competency skills. Criteria for judging the appropriateness of general education courses is 

available in the Saddleback College Curriculum Procedures and Resources, Appendix X 

(2.5). 

Board Policy 5600 lists general education requirements for an A.A. and A.S. degrees. This 

policy includes a philosophy statement based on Title 5 regulations. BP 5600 was last revised 

in 2001 (2.8). 


99


Appraisal 

The college’s GE curriculum is achieving comprehensive learning outcomes for students who 

complete the program. The college meets the standard. 


N/A 

a. General education has comprehensive learning outcomes for the students who 

complete it, including the following: 

An understanding of the basic content and methodology of the major areas of 

knowledge: areas include the humanities and fine arts, the natural sciences, 

and the social sciences. 

Description 

All college degree programs require students to complete a series of general education 

courses. Students who fulfill these general education requirements will have successfully 

completed broad introductory courses in Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, 

and Social and Behavioral Sciences as part of these breadth requirements. The General 

Education Committee reviews course criteria for inclusion in its general education and the 

Curriculum Committee reviews the course for content and methodology. Competence and 

understanding of basic content and methodology is demonstrated by students in all academic 

areas through successful course completion and is judged by individual instructors through 

classroom performance evaluation methods, such as written reports, tests, projects, and oral 

presentations. 

Appraisal 

General education has comprehensive learning outcomes for students who complete it. The 

college meets the standard. 


N/A 

b. General education has comprehensive learning outcomes for the students who 


A capability to be a productive individual and life long learner: skills include 

oral and written communication, information competency, computer literacy, 

scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical analysis/logical thinking, and 

the ability to acquire knowledge through a variety of means. 



Description 

Language and Rationality, Reading Competency, Mathematics Competency, and Information 

Competency are essential components of the core requirements in the degree programs at 

Saddleback College. In addition to writing in English classes, the college encourages writing 

across the curriculum. The college general education breadth requirements include Natural 

Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Life Skills/Critical Thinking in its degree 

programs. Effective fall 2004, the college has approved Information Competency as a core 

requirement, replacing computer competency, and courses are being evaluated across the 

curriculum to meet this new requirement. 

Appraisal 

The process for review and evaluation of student learning outcomes is in place through the 

curriculum review and program review processes. Students in general education courses are 

measured by the specified objectives stated in the course syllabi and must meet expected skill 

levels. The college meets the standard. 


N/A 

c. General education has comprehensive learning outcomes for the students who 


A recognition of what it means to be an ethical human being and effective 

citizen: qualities include an appreciation of ethical principles; civility and 

interpersonal skills; respect for cultural diversity; historical and aesthetic 

sensitivity; and the willingness to assume civic, political, and social 

responsibilities locally, nationally, and globally. 

Description 

Saddleback College breadth requirements include Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural 

Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Life Skills/Critical Thinking, and Cultural 

Diversity. Within these areas of study, as well as throughout its academic offerings, the 

curriculum provides students with guidance toward becoming ethical human beings and 

effective citizens. 

In 1994, the college established its Cross-Cultural Studies Program to address the needs of its 

diverse student body and to create a climate more hospitable to members of underrepresented 

groups. In addition to its courses, the program organizes events to broaden the college 

community’s exposure to a wide range of diversity topics. The program’s chair and an 

advisory committee comprised of ten faculty members, oversee the academic curriculum, 

organize events to raise awareness of diversity on campus, and work diligently with 


101


Associated Student Government (ASG), the Humanities Hour, and other campus supporters 

to secure funding for cultural programming. 

In order to meet the college’s general education diversity requirement, all students who 

graduate or transfer to a four-year college are required to enroll in one course from a list 

compiled by the General Education Committee. 

Appraisal 

Students develop the understanding of ethics and effective citizenship through the breadth 

requirements for the A.A. and A.S. degrees but the Cultural Diversity requirement is the 

only requirement that can be met with the same course that meets another requirement (for 

example, students who take Spanish 1 will meet both the Foreign Language and Diversity 

Requirement). This had led to the belief by some faculty and staff that this requirement is not 

treated seriously by the college. 

The Cross-Cultural Studies program fulfills its two missions but its funding has been redirected 

to other needs within the division. 


• The General Education Committee will re-evaluate the effectiveness of its diversity 

requirement and make appropriate revisions. 

• The Cross Cultural Studies program will conduct program review to evaluate all 

program needs including stable funding. 

4. All degree programs include focused study in at least one area of inquiry or in an 

established interdisciplinary core. 

Description 

Degree programs require completion of general education requirements or IGETC or CSU 

General Education and a minimum of 20 units in a major or area of concentration for a total 

minimum of 60 units. 

Appraisal 

All college programs focus in one or more disciplines or areas of study. The college meets 

the standard. 


N/A 



5. Students completing vocational and occupational certificates and degrees 

demonstrate technical and professional competencies that meet employment and 

other applicable standards and are prepared for external licensure and certification. 

Description 

Saddleback College offers 110 occupational programs that lead to a degree or certificate and 

it offers five occupational “certificate-only” programs. Through input from advisory board 

members, the curriculum for these programs is developed, keeping technical and professional 

competencies current, and meeting employment expectations. Advisory boards meet annually 

and minutes from those meetings are kept in the respective division office. 

Six programs prepare students for state licensing exams: Cosmetology, Emergency Medical 

Technician (EMT), Nursing, Psychiatric Technology, and Paramedic. The curriculum for 

these programs is based on state and accrediting body guidelines. The Nursing program is 

accredited by the Board of Registered Nursing in the state of California and by the National 

League for Nursing. The Emergency Medical Technician Program and Paramedic Program 

have applied for accreditation by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians/ 

Paramedic Committee on Accreditation of Emergency Medical Programs and are awaiting 

the results of its board meeting in April 2004. The Board of Consumer Affairs accredits the 

cosmetology program. 

Appraisal 

While state licensing exams provide competency assessment in the six programs mentioned 

above, there is little evidence for technical and professional competency for other programs 

that require exams from non-state agencies. Interior design, computer technology A+ 

certification, real estate, landscape design, and marine science technology have association 

exams. The college does not track the success of these students. 

To increase job placement rates is Goal #5 of the College Goals Action Plan but no 

benchmarks have been established (2.3). The Job Placement Committee was formed in spring 

2004 to develop a web-based job placement survey, which the college will manage locally 

by using eListen technology. The Saddleback College Student Job Placement Survey will be 

available in fall 2004. 


• The college will seek to establish relationships with business associations for reliable 

information on student preparedness for the programs that rely on association exams. 

• The college will research a post-graduation student tracking system to assess 

vocational and certificate students’ employment success. 


103


6. The institution assures that students and prospective students receive clear and 

accurate information about educational courses and programs and transfer policies. 

The institution describes its degrees and certificates in terms of their purpose, 

content, course requirements, and expected student learning outcomes. In every 

class section, students receive a course syllabus that specifies learning objectives 

consistent with those in the institutions officially approved course outline. 

Description 

Information about programs and courses is clearly written and updated annually in 

the college catalog. The catalog addresses all academic programs offered and includes 

information on the purpose of the program, enrollment procedures, and courses required for 

program completion. The college catalog (also available through the college web site) and 

the class schedule provide course descriptions and the required pre- and co-requisites for 

courses (2.9, 2.10). 

Course description, content, objectives, and learning outcomes must be stated for every 

course before it can be approved by the Curriculum Committee. Courses are reviewed on a 

regular basis to ensure that they are current and appropriate. All credit classes have syllabi 

that reflect the purpose, content, objectives, outcomes, and requirements of courses. Syllabi 

are updated and submitted to the division dean every semester. 

Appraisal 

Approval by the Curriculum Committee and annual evaluation ensures that learning 

objectives are a stated goal of all college courses and are accurately represented in the college 

catalog. The college meets the standard. 


N/A 

a. The institution makes available to its students clearly stated transfer-of-credit 

policies in order to facilitate the mobility of students without penalty. In 

accepting transfer credits to fulfill degree requirements, the institution certifies 

that the expected learning outcomes for transferred courses are comparable to 

the learning outcomes of its own courses. Where patterns of student enrollment 

between institutions are identified, the institution develops articulation 

agreements as appropriate to its mission. 



Description 

The college has articulation policies in place to ensure that students are given credit for 

classes taken at other institutions and that those courses are comparable to or acceptable in 

lieu of courses offered at Saddleback College. Full reciprocity exists for courses completed at 

Irvine Valley College that have comparable courses at Saddleback College. 

The college may grant credit for college units earned at regionally accredited institutions of 

higher education. In general, the Counseling Departments determine equivalency of courses 

and specifically, the college Articulation Officer, determines any questionable course credit 

application in consultation with the appropriate faculty member. The college registrar ensures 

that the transcript is official and that the institution is regionally accredited. Comparability 

for courses taken at other colleges and universities, whether in California or out-of-state, 

can be determined by the Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student 

Transfer (ASSIST), the online statewide database of articulation, the California Articulation 

Numbering system (CAN), and by the college catalog. In circumstances where it may not 

be readily apparent if a course from another institution is comparable, the student is asked 

to obtain an official course outline. If the counselor and/or the college Articulation Officer 

cannot make a determination on comparability, the course outline is submitted to the chair of 

the discipline or the appropriate dean. The faculty or dean makes the final determination of 

course comparability. 

Appraisal 

Saddleback College regularly evaluates its articulation agreements with the University 

of California system, the California State University system, and with private colleges/ 

universities. Some private universities in California and out of state colleges often present 

articulation questions. A new Internet-based articulation system will be available in fall 2004. 

Students will access Saddleback College’s articulation agreements with private colleges 

and universities and, for institutions where major articulation is not available, students can 

consult the ASSIST database. Links to the ASSIST web site will be made more prominent 

on the Transfer Center and Saddleback College homepage. Accurate course articulation also 

requires the collaboration of the partnering institution, which is often difficult to achieve 

with other colleges with limited resources. Currently, the college has not developed a 

comprehensive transfer of credit policy. 


• The college will provide appropriate funding to establish articulation relationships 

with non-articulated private and out-of-state colleges. 

• With college administrative support, the Academic Senate and Transfer Center 

Coordinator will draft, approve, and publish its transfer of credit policy. 


105


b. When programs are eliminated or program requirements are significantly 

changed, the institution makes appropriate arrangements so that enrolled 

students may complete their education in a timely manner with a minimum of 

disruption. 3 

Description 

Policies are currently in place to allow students to complete programs when they are slated 

for elimination. Once the decision is made to close a program, new students are not accepted, 

but all continuing students will have the opportunity to complete the program. When program 

changes are made, students are given written notice about the changes. All incoming students 

must follow the new program curriculum, but students who began the program before it was 

changed may either continue under the old curriculum or may elect to change to the new 

curriculum. 

Appraisal 

A written policy regarding program elimination that guarantees students’ rights is not 

available in any official college publication. The Academic Senate is developing a draft 

policy on program elimination that will include a student’s right to complete his/her 

education in a timely manner. 


• The Academic Senate will draft and approve a program elimination policy. 

• The college will publish the new policy in the Saddleback College Catalog and the 

Student Handbook. 

c. The institution represents itself clearly, accurately, and consistently to 

prospective and current students, the public, and its personnel through its 

catalogs, statements, and publications, including those presented in electronic 

formats. It regularly reviews institutional policies, procedures, and publications 

to assure integrity in all representations about its mission, programs, and 

services. 

Description 

The Vice President for Instruction, Vice President for Student Services, the Curriculum 

Office, and the Curriculum Committee review the college catalog annually. Counseling 

Services and Special Programs and division representatives annually review the Student 

3 

Policy Statement on Considerations when Closing a Postsecondary Educational Institution. 



Handbook (2.11). The college Public Information Office manages information policies and 

ensures the accuracy of college publications. The college webmaster ensures the accuracy of 

the Saddleback College web site with the assistance of the college Web-Site Committee. 

Appraisal 

Various college offices have taken over the responsibility for coordinating review and 

revision of college publications until the Public Information Officer position is filled (The 

new PIO came on board June 1, 2004). Funding for the Student Handbook has been tenuous 

and this often creates problems for timely revision and publication. The Budget Committee is 

examining this issue and will identify a permanent solution. 


N/A 

7. In order to assure the academic integrity of the teaching-learning process, the 

institution uses and makes public governing board-adopted policies on academic 

freedom and responsibility, student academic honesty, and specific institutional 

beliefs or worldviews. These policies make clear the institution’s commitment to the 

free pursuit and dissemination of knowledge. 

a. Faculty distinguish between conviction and professionally accepted views in a 

discipline. They present data and information fairly and objectively. 

Description 

The district academic freedom statement, BP 6120, revised 12/2000 (2.12), was created by 

district personnel. It is available at the district web site (http://www.socccd.org). BP 6120 

is not published in any official college publications. Saddleback College and Irvine Valley 

College Academic Senate presidents jointly agreed on a faculty academic freedom statement. 

Appraisal 

The Academic Senates of both colleges developed their own academic freedom statement in 

response to BP 6120 because they agreed to provide a more comprehensive policy than the 

one approved by the BOT. The academic freedom statement adopted by the Academic Senate 

promotes academic freedom by respecting and encouraging a diversity of opinions necessary 

for free intellectual inquiry. This statement, approved by both Academic Senates, has not 

been ratified by the BOT and it does not appear in any official college publications. 


• The Academic Senates will submit again the approved academic freedom statement 

for consideration and adoption by the Board of Trustees. 


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b. The institution establishes and publishes clear expectations concerning student 

Description 

academic honesty and the consequences for dishonesty. 

The Academic honor code and Dishonesty policy is clearly defined in the 2003-2004 Student 

Handbook, in the 2003-2004 Saddleback College Catalog (2.7), and on the college web site, 

along with recommended sanctions and disciplinary action for violations of the code. The 

basis for the policy are found in the SOCCCD Board Policy 5401 and 5404 (2.13) and also 

modeled after the California Education Code 66300, 72282, 72292, and 76033. 

Appraisal 

This policy is clear and consistent. It reflects established codes of conduct with defined 

penalties for abuse. The college meets the standard. 


N/A 

c. Institutions that require conformity to specific codes of conduct of staff, faculty, 

administrators, or students, or that seek to instill specific beliefs or worldviews, 

give clear prior notice of such policies, including statements in the catalog and/ 

or appropriate faculty or student handbooks. 

Description 

Saddleback College does not seek to instill specific beliefs or world views or to impose 

codes of conduct on faculty, staff, or students other than those consistent with maintaining a 

suitable learning environment. 

Appraisal 

N/A 



8. Institutions offering curricula in foreign location to students other than U.S. 

nationals operate in conformity with standards and applicable Commission 

policies. 2 

Description 

Saddleback College does not offer curricula in foreign locations to students other than U.S. 

nationals. 

Appraisal 

N/A 

2 

Principles of Good Practice in Overseas International Education Programs for Non-U.S. Nationals. 


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B. Student Support Services 

The institution recruits and admits diverse students who are able to benefit from its 

programs, consistent with its mission. Student support services address the identified 

needs of students and enhance a supportive learning environment. The entire student 

pathway through the institutional experience is characterized by a concern for student 

access, progress, learning and success. The institution systematically assesses student 

support services using student learning outcomes, faculty and staff input, and other 

appropriate measures in order to improve effectiveness of these services. 

Description 

Consistent with the mission of Saddleback College, Student Services offer support 

mechanisms that benefit students enrolled at the college. Most of the college’s support 

services are centrally located, are easily accessible, and are staffed by well-trained and 

qualified staff. These programs address the diverse needs of students with a focus on student 

success and recent increases in financial aid funds have improved outreach to economicallydisadvantaged 

students. The Office of Admission & Records provides students with access 

to their personal records and facilitates the enrollment process. The matriculation program 

and counseling services provide new students with assessments of English and math 

proficiencies, a first semester academic plan and general information about college courses, 

registration, support services, and the academic calendar. 

The Saddleback College web site (http://www.saddleback.edu) also provides information 

about college programs, policies, and services. For continuing students, individual college 

records and personal information can be accessed through their MySite (college portal) 

accounts. 

Appraisal 

The Student Satisfaction Survey 2003 (SSS 2003) indicated that 22 percent did not respond 

or responded neutral (29 percent) when asked about the adequacy of financial aid (2.14). 

Also, when asked about knowledge of campus events, 30 percent responded neutral and 

14 percent did not respond. These figures could indicate that important information is not 

reaching students (ref. 3.17) although they are within the range of the cohort group of 

colleges. In the Admission, Records and Enrollment Survey, 27 percent of students were 

dissatisfied with long lines for in person registration and especially when adding and/or 

dropping courses (2.15). 

The Office of Admissions and Records (A&R) has begun a project that allows instructors to 

grant permission for students to register online for closed classes that have already begun. 

The project is being piloted in the spring 2004 semester with full implementation in summer 

2004 and it should significantly reduce lines to add or change classes. 



Although there is no centrally located information center that addresses student access to 

support services information, the college has added several temporary information centers 

during the first three weeks of classes. 


• The college will evaluate and improve access to information about support services, 

college programs, and campus activities. 

1. The institution assures the quality of student support services and demonstrates 

that these services, regardless of location or means of delivery, support student 

learning and enhance achievement of the mission of the institution. 1, 2 

Description 

Saddleback College provides a comprehensive array of support services that promotes 

the educational and personal success of its diverse student population. The 2003-2004 

Student Handbook (2.11) and Saddleback College Catalog (2.7) contain descriptions of 

all support services including the locations, phone numbers, and hours of operation. The 

Student Activities/College Life section of the college catalog contains information on ASG, 

intercollegiate athletics, cultural activities, and a listing of all clubs. 

Support services are delivered through Campus Safety and Security; the Student Financial 

Assistance Office; the Counseling Department; Matriculation services; Outreach; Transfer 

and Career Services Centers; the Re-Entry Center; Extended Opportunity Program & 

Services (EOPS); Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE); California Work 

Opportunities & Responsibility for Kids (CalWORKs); Special Services for Students with 

Disabilities (DSPS); the Office of Admissions and Records; the Child Development Center; 

the Health Center; Fiscal Office; and Veterans Affairs and Services. 

The Saddleback College Library provides a book collection of over 96,000 volumes. 

Librarians assist students with research and teach library credit courses. Free tutoring is 

available to students in most subject areas at the Learning Assistance Program (LAP). The 

Interdisciplinary Computer Center (ICC), a component of LAP, offers students assistance 

with Microsoft Office programs, the Internet, and student email. 

Support services centered on student involvement include the Associated Student 

Government (ASG), which represents the student body and supports student activities with 

funding derived from cafeteria and bookstore profits, the Alumni Association, and numerous 

student clubs and organizations. 

1 

Policy on Distance Learning, Including Electronically-Mediated Learning; 

2 

Policy of Good Practice in Overseas International Education Programs for Non-U.S. Nationals. 


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To ensure quality of service, many support services have mandated program reviews by 

third party agencies. The Child Development Center completed its certification in spring 

2003. The Student Financial Assistance Office, the Health Center, and categorically funded 

programs such as EOPS, Special Services, Admission and Records, and Matriculation are 

reviewed by the state chancellor’s office or a designated agency. Other student services areas 

have completed their own self study with the assistance of ORPG and the Program Review 

Committee. These program reviews are available on the Academic Senate web site (http:// 

www.saddleback.edu/gov/senate/acsen). To further ensure the quality of services provided, 

several departments are required to file annual program plans with the state chancellor’s 

office. These include Special Services, CalWORKs, EOPS, CARE, Matriculation, Child 

Development Center and Transfer Center. 

Appraisal 

Recent budget cuts make it very difficult for the college to provide all necessary services 

due to faculty and classified staff vacancies. To address concerns about delivering support 

services more efficiently, the Student Services Council established a list of vacant positions 

based on importance and need. Although, the Classified Hiring Prioritization Committee gave 

low rankings to these vacancies, the college has identified funding to hire these critically 

important positions. 


• Student services departments will work with college administration to fill vacant 

positions. 

2. The institution provides a catalog for its constituencies with precise, accurate and 

current information concerning the following: 

Description 

a. General Information 

The official name, addresses, phone numbers, web sites and other contact information for the 

college are published in the catalog. The catalog may be purchased in the bookstore or can be 

consulted through the college web site (http://www.saddleback.edu). The catalog includes the 

college’s mission statement, the academic calendar, a statement on student rights and code of 

conduct, information regarding certificates and associate degrees, general education transfer 

patterns, major requirements and descriptions of all approved courses. Student financial aid 

information and other support services are also included. 

b. Requirements 



Admissions requirements and student fees are listed in the college catalog. Requirements 

to complete the vocational or occupational certificates, associate degrees, and transfer 

curriculum can be found in the printed and online versions. Also included are requirements 

for vocational and occupational certificates, as are general education requirements for the 

associate degree 

c. Major Policies Affecting Students 

All major policies that affect students are described in the college catalog: academic honor 

code; student nondiscrimination; transfer policies; student grievance procedures; the district’s 

policy on sexual harassment; ADA compliance; refund of fees; and academic deadlines. 

d. Location or publications where other policies may be found 

The current Board Policy Manual can be found in the college library or online (http://www. 

socccd.cc.ca.us). The Student Handbook (2.11) is distributed during orientation/advisement 

sessions, other matriculation and counseling activities, and instruction. The Schedule of 

Classes is mailed to all residents of the SOCCCD. The Schedule of Classes (2.10) and 

Student Handbooks are free and are available in various department offices and also via the 

college web site. All college publications are available for consultation in the library. 

Appraisal 

The Saddleback College Catalog and the Student Handbook are reviewed annually for 

accuracy by several departments. Major policies and information are included in both 

publications. The Schedule of Classes is inaccurate when course or sections are changed 

but current information is always available on the college web site. The college meets the 

standard. 


N/A 

3. The institution researches and identifies the learning support needs of its student 

population and provides appropriate services and programs to address those needs. 

Description 

The college researches and identifies the learning support needs of its student population on 

three levels: institutional, program, and support services. 

The institutional level programs designed to identify student learning needs include 

admissions, the matriculation process, assessment, orientation/advisement, and follow-up 

counseling sessions (2.16). The Early Alert Program (2.17) offers faculty an opportunity 

to provide timely feedback to students who are experiencing academic difficulties in fullterm 

credit courses and give recommendations on how to improve their performance. The 


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Probation Intervention Program (2.18) provides students on academic probation services 

such as mentoring/counseling, monitoring of academic progress, dedicated tutoring, and free 

assessment to determine outside personal factors that may have led to academic difficulties. 

The Research Data Warehouse is the official source for historical information about students 

for the SOCCCD. This source is indispensable for program review, enrollment management, 

and research studies identifying student learning needs (2.19). The Student Tracking 

System, a Title III grant project (2.20), improved the college’s ability to use data more 

effectively by studying student activity and frequency of service use. ORPG supported the 

college’s specialized research studies and surveys for student needs, evaluated the college’s 

effectiveness in serving students, and provided support for program reviews. In fall 2003, 

the college and district reorganized college research functions. The college research analyst 

is currently providing support for college research until a district researcher is hired (2.21, 

2.22, 2.23, 2.24, 2.25). The Enrollment Management Committee addresses retention and 

enrollment management with ties to marketing, student services, and instruction to make 

effective decisions about student learning needs and institutional effectiveness (2.4). 

Renewed Academic Senate and college administration commitment have revived program 

review. The review process has given or will give each department a better understanding 

of student learning needs through comparisons, surveys, data, and analysis (2.26, 2.27). 

Student support services and instructors work together to identify student support needs and 

ensure that all student needs are effectively addressed. In addition to using the Early Alert 

program, instructors direct students to support services. One-third of students who visited the 

Counseling Center had been referred by college instructors (2.28). 

Appraisal 

Most departments undergoing program review have their own “home-grown” databases and 

must interface with the Research Data Warehouse. 

The Student Tracking System is used by a limited number of offices on campus. This system 

is not designed for data extracts in the form of MS Excel or text files as required by most 

departments. If the system were modified to support data extract, it would be a useful tool for 

identifying student learning needs. 

The college and district have reorganized college research support. At present, satisfactory 

research support for program review is being provided by the college research analyst. 

Support for other college research will have to be examined once the district researcher is 

hired. 


• The college will study modification options of the Student Tracking System to 

support student learning needs more effectively. 



a. The institution assures equitable access to all of its students by providing 

appropriate, comprehensive, and reliable services to students regardless of 

service location or delivery method. 1 

Description 

The college ensures equitable access to all students by providing numerous ways to apply for 

admission to the college and to register for classes: in person, by phone and online through 

MySite. Information about students is collected through various means but it is stored in a 

common database. Fee payments are also possible by the same three methods. 

The college regularly evaluates its services through program review, student satisfaction 

surveys, and research studies. The college also evaluates its matriculation assessment tests to 

make sure that there is no disproportionate impact on certain student populations. 

Appraisal 

The results of the Admission and Records Program Review (2.29) suggest that Emeritus 

Institute students rely mostly on telephone registration to enroll in classes. The online 

application and registration services are growing in popularity among other students. 

Students without Internet access will continue to rely on traditional registration services as 

the college develops more online services. 

Although the college utilizes state-approved matriculation assessment tests, it must ensure 

regular evaluation of the effectiveness and utility of these assessment tests. Currently, the 

matriculation process occurs only on campus as assessment tests and college orientations 

are provided on site. There have been discussions about providing online access to these 

services. 


• The college must support the registration services and other needs of students who 

lack Internet access or prefer traditional services. 

• The college will investigate options for online orientations, assessments, and 

educational plans. 

b. The institution provides an environment that encourages personal and civic 

responsibility, as well as intellectual, aesthetic, and personal development for all 

its students. 

1 

Policy on Distance Learning, Including Electronically-Mediated Learning 


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Description 

The Associated Student Government (ASG) plans, organizes, promotes, sponsors, and 

finances a comprehensive array of activities and services for students. The activities program 

is organized to achieve the following objectives: 

1. To provide opportunities for the development of the social and cultural interests of the 

entire college community. 

2. To offer opportunities for the enrichment of each individual’s life through sharing and 

enjoying a group spirit of mutual responsibility, leadership, and creativity. 

3. To promote college spirit and community awareness. 

Academic departments sponsor speakers and offer performances to enhance classroom 

instruction. The Humanities Hour, co-sponsored by the Liberal Arts and Social & Behavioral 

Sciences divisions, and artistic performances are available to faculty, students, and staff 

throughout the year. 

Appraisal 

The numerous clubs and activities sponsored by ASG allow students to participate in a broad 

spectrum of interests, including music, art, drama, sports, ecology, community service, and 

business. 

In addition, the ASG Executive Cabinet, Student Senate, and the Inter-Club Council, hold 

regular meetings and provide students with leadership opportunities. The college also offers 

an Applied Psychology course on leadership and governance. 

Student input in major decisions made at Saddleback College is encouraged and welcomed. 

When asked if they believed the Saddleback College student clubs provide a valuable college 

experience, 70.5 percent of students surveyed replied affirmatively (2.30). In addition, 

students view their involvements in clubs as helpful in their transfer to a four-year college. 



N/A 

c. The institution designs, maintains, and evaluates counseling and/or academic 

advising programs to support student development and success and prepares 

faculty and other personnel responsible for the advising function. 

Description 

Saddleback College has maintained counseling and academic advising program since its 

establishment in 1968. The mission of the Saddleback College Counseling Department is to 



“provide current and prospective students with the counseling and instruction necessary to 

successfully reach their academic, career and personal goals” (2.31). 

The 15 full-time counseling faculty members are highly trained in providing personal, 

academic, and career counseling to all students. All counseling faculty have M.S. degrees in 

Educational Counseling, Psychology, or Marriage Family Child Counseling. Six members 

of the counseling faculty hold doctorates. Counselors attend weekly articulation and training 

sessions as well as conferences and professional development activities each semester. 

The Counseling Center undergoes program review every six years and distributes a 

student satisfaction survey annually. The Counseling Program Review of fall 2002 (2.31) 

revealed the top three reasons why students make appointments to see a counselor. These 

are 1) Academic counseling (46 percent); 2) Transfer counseling (29 percent), and Career/ 

Vocational counseling (13 percent). Of 452 students surveyed, 83 percent either strongly 

agreed or agreed that they had received prompt service, 89 percent agreed that counseling 

faculty and staff are courteous; 85 percent agreed that faculty and staff members are able to 

answer their questions. 

A recent longitudinal study, Applied Psychology Courses 2003, indicated that first-time 

students who enroll in Applied Psychology courses during their first semester at Saddleback 

College took more transferable courses, completed more units, and graduated at higher rates 

when compared to all first-time non-Emeritus students who did not take Applied Psychology 

courses during their first semester (2.32). 

Appraisal 

The results of the recent SSS 2003 show that academic advising and counseling are very 

important to students (2.14). Of the eleven areas included in the survey, academic advising 

and counseling were rated the third most important. 

Although there is a gap of 1.04 between importance and satisfaction, the gap is very similar 

to that of .98 in the comparison group 5 (.06 difference). This similarity suggests that there 

are probably some common forces among community college students that influence the 

importance and satisfaction ratings. For example, the complexity of a transfer process may 

influence the demand for counseling services, while the shortage of qualified counseling 

faculty may keep the satisfaction lower. In 2002, the college’s counseling faculty-to-student 

ratio was 1 counselor : 2,185 students. The State Counseling Advisory Council recommends 

a 1:1000 faculty-to-student ratio. Online Counseling (e-Advise), on line advisement staffed 

by counselors, was launched in 2001 to address this shortage. While demand for this service 

is growing, lack of resources has restricted its availability to fall and spring semesters. It is 

not available during the summer when recent high school graduates and others could benefit 

from this convenient service. 

5 

The comparison group included students from other community colleges similar to Saddleback College, 

such as Antelope Valley College, Cerritos College, Cuesta College, El Camino College, Long Beach City 

College, Los Rios Community College District and Palomar College. 


117


Moreover, the gap may not result from students’ dissatisfaction with counseling and advising 

services, but from slightly higher expectations. The average satisfaction of Saddleback 

College students with academic counseling and advising was higher than in the comparison 

group of all of the items including in the academic advising/counseling scale. The scale 

consisted of seven items that measured approachability, helpfulness in setting goals, concern 

for student success, knowledge about programs, knowledge of transfer process, caring staff, 

and helpfulness to students in reaching their goals. 

Despite the fact that students were satisfied with a majority of the items on the survey, many 

of them responded to an open-ended section raising concerns about the difficulty of making 

appointments, need for more counselors, and many said that 30-minute appointments were 

not long enough. The counseling department will work to address these concerns. 


• The Counseling Department will work with the college administration to decrease the 

faculty-to-student ratio to a level closer to that recommended by the State Counseling 

Advisory Council. 

• Counseling faculty will work with the Academic Senate to find effective means to 

encourage enrollment in Applied Psychology courses to improve student success. 

• The Counseling Department will investigate funding options to improve online 

advisement and offer the service year-round. 

d. The institution designs and maintains appropriate programs, practices, and 

services that support and enhance student understanding and appreciation of 

diversity. 

Description 

Goal # 11 of the 2003-2004 College Goals Action Plan (2.3) states that faculty and staff will 

encourage students to actively participate in extracurricular activities provided by campus 

clubs and organizations such as the Associated Student Government and to become involved 

in their communities. Examples are: students in the Honors program mentor low-income ESL 

K-12 students, and the ASG facilitates holiday dinners and adopts families in need during 

the holiday season. In addition to offering Cross Cultural Studies courses, the Cross Cultural 

Studies program organizes events to broaden the college community’s exposure to a wide 

range of diversity topics. 

Appraisal 

The SSS 2003 (2.14) had several items related to campus climate. In general, students feel 

the college is meeting their expectations but in the area of whether the college shows concern 

for students as individuals, there is a discernible gap between the importance of this item and 



student satisfaction. The survey does not pinpoint the cause but there is reason to believe that 

communication may be one factor. 


• The college will evaluate and improve access to information about campus programs, 

services, and lectures to help students enhance their understanding of diversity so that 

all students can feel connected to the college community. 

e. The institution regularly evaluates admissions and placement instruments and 

practices to validate their effectiveness while minimizing biases. 

Description 

Saddleback College uses only state-approved assessment placement tests. The English 

Writing Sample test is approved through February 2006; the Nelson-Denny, Form H is 

approved until February 2008; the ESL Writing Sample test is approved until August 2008. 

For non-high school graduates qualifying for financial aid, the Ability-To-Benefit exam 

(ATB) is approved by the U.S. Department of Education Federal Register and is valid until 

the Financial Assistance Office is notified of changes. 

Appraisal 

The college recently began evaluating the impact of assessment tests on certain populations 

of students (2.21). The Matriculation Research and Evaluation Component 3, which states, 

“Determine whether any assessment instrument, method or procedure has a disproportionate 

impact on particular groups of students described in terms of ethnicity, gender, age or 

disability; where unjustified disproportionate impact is found, develop plan to correct it,” has 

begun but has not been completed as data research for the study is still needed. 


• The Matriculation Department will work with college administration to complete the 

Matriculation Research and Evaluation Component 3. 

• Given adequate resources the college will develop a plan for validating assessment 

tests in-house. 

f. The institution maintains student records permanently, securely, and 

confidentially, with provision for secure backup of all files, regardless of the 

form in which those files are maintained. The institution publishes and follows 

established policies for release of student records. 


119


Description 

Board Policy 5615 (2.33) addresses the issue of confidentiality of records. 

Permanently retained student records include applications, student enrollment data and grade 

information. All information is entered into the computer system with accompanying backup 

files. Paper applications are stored at an alternate secure site on campus. Older applications 

and enrollment data are preserved and retained on microfilm and microfiche. In order to 

access student records, staff must log onto the college network with a unique user ID and 

password and go through another security step to log on. Passwords are changed on a regular 

basis. The program used to change student grades requires yet another carefully guarded 

password, given to very few staff. 

Transcripts prior to 1981 are not online and hard copies are stored in secure file cabinets. 

These older transcripts have been digitized on CDs for ease of retrieval. Other student data 

(applications and personal information) has not been digitized. Grades issued by faculty are 

maintained on the computer system and hard copies are kept as backup. Faculty may enter 

grades online and access the online system via their unique ID and password. A signed Grade 

Certification Form containing a roster with grades is required by the Office of Admissions 

and Records for authentication. 

Students have access to their records via MySite, the college web portal with their personal 

passwords and PIN. Students requesting their records or completing enrollment transactions 

in-person are required to present photo identification. The college does not release, except to 

state, local or federal government officials, personally identifiable student data without the 

student’s prior written permission. 

Information concerning whether a student is currently enrolled, and/or has received degrees 

and awards from the college, are regarded as public information. A student may request that 

no student information be released by submitting a written authorization to the Director of 

Admissions and Records. 

Appraisal 

Currently only student transcripts have been transferred to CDs, but other student data 

(applications and personal information) has not been digitized due to insufficient funding. 


• Admissions and Records will work with college administration to identify funding for 

transferring all student data into a more permanent form. 



4. The institution evaluates student support services to assure their adequacy in 

meeting identified student needs. Evaluation of these services provides evidence that 

they contribute to the achievement of student learning outcomes. The institution 

uses the results of these evaluations as the basis for improvement. 

Description 

Student Services undergoes program review at least once every six years. Counseling, Career 

Center, Transfer Center, Admissions & Records, Health Center, Reentry/Women’s Center, 

and the college bookstore are all part of the proposed review cycle. Programs such as EOPS, 

DSPS, Matriculation, Financial Aid, and Admissions & Records are subject to external 

reviews as well. The Saddleback College Dining Services, which includes the library coffee 

cart, submits its annual Dining Report, required by Sodexho Corporation and has quarterly 

health inspections by the County of Orange. For more information, see the Student Services 

Program Review Project (2.34). 

Appraisal 

The program review process in Student Services is relatively new. In time, the process is 

expected to get simpler as departments define criteria and methods of evaluation and develop 

methods of collecting data and keep records of their activities. 


• The college will incorporate results from student services program review into college 

planning. 


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C. Library and Learning Support Services 

Library and other learning support services for students are sufficient to support the 

institution’s instructional programs and intellectual, aesthetic, and cultural activities 

in whatever format and wherever they are offered. Such services include library 

services and collections, tutoring, learning centers, computer laboratories, and learning 

technology development and training. The institution provides access and training to 

students so that library and other learning support services may be used effectively and 

efficiently. The institution systematically assesses these services using student learning 

outcomes, faculty input, and other appropriate measures in order to improve the 

effectiveness of the services. 

1. The institution supports the quality of its instructional programs by providing 

library and other learning support services that are sufficient in quantity, currency, 

depth, and variety to facilitate educational offerings, regardless of location or means 

of delivery 1 . 

a. Relying on appropriate expertise of faculty, including librarians and other 

learning support services professionals, the institution selects and maintains 

educational equipment and materials to support student learning and enhance 

the achievement of the mission of the institution. 

Description 

The library’s collection consists of 96,000 books, 272 periodical subscriptions with 

accompanying microfilm/fiche, over 21,000 non-print materials (videocassettes, DVDs, 

CD-ROMs, audiocassettes, compact disks, video disks, and records) and Web access to 

13 subscription databases covering magazines, journals, newspapers, and government 

documents (2.35). The subscription databases are available on- and off-campus to faculty 

and students 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. In spring 2004, the library provided access to an 

electronic book collection, made possible by a grant from the College Foundation and the 

City of Aliso Viejo. Additionally, in spring 2004, the district upgraded to SIRSI, an advanced 

library information management system that will enhance the library’s ability to integrate its 

learning resources. The library has 75 computer workstations that offer public access to the 

cataloged print, audiovisual, and periodical holdings of both Saddleback and Irvine Valley 

1 

Policy on Distance Learning, Including Electronically-Mediated Learning 



College (IVC) libraries. Workstations also include a basic suite of software including word 

processing, presentation, spreadsheets, and other programs, in addition to Internet access. 

Library faculty selects and maintains traditional, electronic, and web-based learning and 

information resources. Librarians actively solicit recommendations from faculty, students, 

staff, and community members. Ten percent of each year’s book budget is set aside for 

faculty requests, which receive priority. Gift materials are welcome and added when 

appropriate to support the instruction on campus. Librarians use selection tools such as 

professional library journals, publishers’ catalogs, online sources, instructor bibliographies, 

and faculty recommendations to select new materials and review existing collections. 

Librarians act as liaisons to instructional divisions to further refine the acquisition of library 

materials to support collegewide instruction (2.36). 

The Library receives support for instruction technology from the Director of Instructional 

Support Services who works closely with staff in the Innovation and Technology Center 

(ITC). The ITC is responsible for supporting all college instructional technology needs. 

The ITC installs hardware and software and maintains computers and media-related 

equipment throughout the college. The ITC also makes sure that selected software and 

equipment are compatible with those already present in the college system, meet minimum 

college standards, and can be maintained by ITC. Input from faculty helps to ensure that 

the equipment acquired and maintained by the ITC meets minimum standards developed to 

support the instructional program. 

Appraisal 

In the 1998 self study the library was criticized for having a collection that was out of date 

to support current research needs. This deficiency was addressed, in part, in 2001, with 

an infusion of $150,000 one-time college funds. The Associated Student Government, the 

Friends of the Library, and the College Foundation provide additional support whenever 

possible. Support programs and services that do not generate enrollment figures are not fully 

accounted for by the state budget allocation formula, which negatively impacts the library’s 

ability to provide current materials with the limited budget. 

The SSS 2003 asked students about their perceptions of learning resources and support 

services. The survey shows that 72 percent of students believe that library resources and 

services are adequate. Questions about adequacy of library resources and services received 

among the highest ratings (89 percent) of importance and satisfaction in the Academic 

Services scale of the Student Satisfaction Survey. Questions about adequacy of computer labs 

and lab equipment likewise received high levels of importance and satisfaction in this survey 

(2.14). 

Although the ITC is committed to bringing the highest level of technological and training 

support possible to the Saddleback College community, its ability is limited by its sizable 

responsibility. 


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Items 26, 34, 42, and 55 of the SSS 2003 assess the adequacy of services students need to 

achieve their academic goals. Among these are learning resources and computer labs. Student 

satisfaction with the adequacy of these is above that of the comparison group, but item 55 

regarding the adequacy of academic support services to meet student needs received the 

lowest satisfaction rate (2.14). 


• The library faculty and administration will work to develop a method to track 

students who use the library’s computer lab and other learning resources so the 

learning resources program can collect apportionment for the services and instruction 

it provides to students. 

• The library faculty and administration will work to modify the college budget process 

so that library services are adequately funded. 

b. The institution provides ongoing instruction for users of library and other 

learning support services so that students are able to develop skills in 

information competency. 

Description 

The library promotes its resources to students, staff, and faculty through instruction, 

orientations, in-service presentations, information competency (IC) workshops, Lariat 

(student newspaper), college publications, the library web page (http://www.saddleback.edu/ 

library/), and printed materials. 

In fall 2002, the library launched its new IC program that focuses on basic skills that students 

must master in order to meet the new information competency GE requirement. The IC 

workshops cover different components of the basic research process from defining a research 

topic to documenting sources. The new IC program consists of various workshops students 

attend when they are not attending their regularly scheduled classes. 

In 2002-2003, at the request of faculty, librarians taught approximately 89 library workshops 

in which 1,762 students received focused instruction during regularly scheduled class time. 

During this same period, 5,446 (duplicated headcount) students attended IC workshops that 

covered in greater detail different aspects of the research process. The result is that students 

are spending more time in the library receiving instruction that strengthens their IC skills. 

In 2003-2004, the information competency (IC) requirement replaced the computer 

proficiency requirement for the associate degrees. After revision of course outlines and class 

syllabi in all academic divisions, 29 courses were approved as meeting the criteria set forth 

by Title 5. This new requirement is effective fall 2004. Library faculty will collaborate with 

instructors by encouraging them to imbed IC assignments into their courses, by teaching 

workshops to students when instructors are unable to include activities designed to meet the 



IC requirement in courses, and to provide training to faculty who need to update their own IC 

skills through the ITC and faculty in-service activities. 

Because the college is committed to teaching IC across the curriculum, faculty must continue 

to develop new curriculum, or revise and update older curriculum to include information 

competency learning outcomes. In addition, vocational and technical courses must be 

examined in anticipation of any proposed changes in Title 5 to require these competencies for 

certificate programs. 

The library also offers credit research skills courses in both traditional and online formats. 

Enrollment in these credit courses has increased almost 15 percent since 2000-2001 and is 

expected to grow more when the new information competency GE requirement becomes 

effective in fall 2004. 

The new Health Sciences building, which will come online in January, 2005, will also house 

all district offices. This means that the college will recover space currently being used by 

the district on the third floor of the library building. The college has developed plans to 

modernize the entire library building when the district moves to the new building. 

Appraisal 

Learning resources are technology intensive and yet the library does not have a library 

computer classroom to reinforce IC skills taught in the workshops. The college has made 

a commitment to upgrading technology but funding is insufficient to meet all needs. The 

process of prioritizing college technology needs must be reviewed because the library has 

had only partial funding (grant sources) since 2002 to outfit its Library Instruction Center. 

The Technology Committee does not have a mechanism to match funds raised through the 

resourcefulness of faculty and staff who have secured partial funding from other sources. 

The new IC requirement will generate new needs such as an IC assessment to provide 

this option for students. Some instructional faculty will be interested in working with 

library faculty to revise assignments to incorporate IC skills. During the last several years, 

the library faculty has been actively examining duties and responsibilities in an effort to 

accommodate new technology and instruction demands. While the library faculty embraces 

wholeheartedly the IC requirement, the librarians will face serious challenges to satisfy all 

the new needs with the existing staff. 

The library building has one technician assigned to service all its needs but this staff member 

also has other college technology responsibilities that make it impossible to provide timely 

support. The library modernization project contains state-of-the art technology, including a 

library instruction center, where students will be able to practice IC skills taught through the 

workshops. 


• Library faculty will develop an IC assessment option for students. 


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• Librarians and the dean will explore internal and external funding sources to 

completely outfit the Library Instruction Center. 

• Librarians will participate in the full-time faculty hiring process to replace a librarian 

who retired. The librarians will analyze carefully the replacement position description 

in light of new IC, teaching, and technology requirements. 

• Librarians will participate actively in the development of the library modernization 

plans. 

c. The institution provides students and personnel responsible for student learning 

programs and services adequate access to the library and other learning support 

services, regardless of their location or means of delivery 1 . 

Description 

In March 2003, library hours were reduced from 69 to 52 per week, but in fall 2003, some 

lost hours were restored and at present the library is open 60 hours per week. The library 

faculty and dean continue to work with the college and district administration to restore 

library service hours. Reference librarians are on duty to assist students, faculty, staff, and 

community members with their research and personal information needs whenever the library 

is open. 

The 75 library computer workstations provide public access to its cataloged print, audiovisual 

resources, and periodical holdings of both Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College 

libraries. A basic suite of software (email, word processing, presentation, spreadsheets) 

is also available. Through its web page the library provides “Ask a Librarian,” an emailbased 

reference service that responds to requests within 24 hours. Student assistants staff 

the Computer Help Desk where students receive technical support. In fall 2003, the district 

provided the infrastructure for wireless laptop access to students in the library and cafeteria 

buildings. Also in fall 2003, in order to enforce the district’s electronic resources access 

policy the college deployed access software on all public workstations. Off-campus access to 

the online catalog and other electronic learning resources is available to students, faculty, and 

staff via a locally developed authentication process. 

The Learning Assistance Program (LAP) provides peer tutoring in all academic subjects, 

tutor training, and various workshops for college students. Services include one-on-one, 

small group, drop-in, and in-class tutoring sessions. The Interdisciplinary Computer Center 

(ICC) provides 42 computer workstations and software for use across the curriculum. 

Instructional assistants provide supervision and training to peer tutors, tutor students, and act 

as a liaison between faculty and the ICC. The LAP/ICC is open 54 hours per week (12 hours 

a day from Monday through Thursday, and 6 hours on Friday). The services of the LAP/ICC 

1 




are made possible by more than 100 volunteer tutors, Partnership for Excellence, and ASG 

funds. The resources of the LAP/ICC are promoted through Internet web pages, college 

printed materials, Lariat, flyers, posters, and bookmarks, spots on the college radio station, 

KSBR, the electronic marquees and Channel 39 (Saddleback TV), to student clubs, campus 

events, student orientations, and faculty in-service programs. One hundred fifty tutors 

provide over 2,000 hours of tutoring assistance per month to college students. Approximately 

2,000 students use the LAP each semester. Fifty thousand tutoring hours were tracked in 

2002-2003. 

The college also has several additional, well-established, learning support services 

for students. The Reading Lab and Language Lab are open 40 and 56 hours per week 

respectively. The newer Writing Lab, created with Title III funds, is run entirely by the 

English Department, and is open 16 hours per week. All these labs have workstations with 

Internet connections, basic software, and are staffed by instructional assistants and/or faculty 

to provide students with additional instructional support. These labs track student attendance. 

This data is analyzed and used to verify that students who use these labs and are enrolled 

in related courses have completed required reading or writing lab work, have achieved 

benchmarks in defined skill areas, and have demonstrated holistic improvement as critical 

readers and/or writers. 

The ITC focuses on two primary areas of instructional support: faculty and staff 

development, computer and network management and user support. The ITC provides an 

extensive training program for faculty and staff throughout the year. Since spring 1996, 

the ITC has provided workshops, which account for more than 1,700 attendances. The ITC 

is also responsible for the installation, maintenance, and repair of over 2,000 computers 

throughout the college. The ITC is open and available to faculty and staff a total of 53 hours 

per week. The college’s Audiovisual Department reports to the Advanced Technology and 

Applied Science Division and provides instructional equipment support for faculty and staff 

and is staffed 60.5 hours per week. 

Appraisal 

Although the SSS 2003 shows that students are relatively satisfied with campus technology, 

faculty and staff are well aware of the shortfall. One example is the new network access 

procedures and the new printing service. Both changes were launched in fall 2003, and they 

have proven to be challenging processes for the library faculty, staff, and students. Although 

some improvements have been made, librarians anxiously await the implementation of new 

software and hardware that promises to address these concerns. 

Students staff the Computer Help Desk, but their skills are limited. If a full-time Instructional 

Assistant could be hired to staff this desk, to schedule staffing, and to hire and train student 

assistants, students would receive better service. Another issue that concerns the library 

faculty and service staff is that the decision to install the network access procedures and new 

printing system did not include participation of library staff. Those who work directly with 

students did not have the opportunity to foresee problems and suggest possible solutions 


127


before the adoption of the new systems. Furthermore, the new systems came as a surprise to 

the front-line staff who were unprepared to assist students in navigating the new procedures. 

Network access procedures are determined by the district. 

The reduction of library service hours has clearly impacted students as evidenced by the 

numerous responses to the link on the library web page requesting student feedback. College 

students require assistance to navigate the myriad resources available to them and, since 

the library is closed weekends, librarians are not available to help. Fortunately, electronic 

resources are available when the library is closed, use of “Ask a Librarian” has increased by 

22 percent, and library database in-house and remote use also has been increasing steadily 

over time. 

The hours of the LAP and ICC are limited due to lack of funding. At present, students have 

no access to tutoring and computers on Friday afternoons and Saturdays. Since the loss 

of Partnership for Excellence funds in 2003, student government has provided $15,000 in 

2002-2003 and $30,000 in 2003-2004 to support the LAP programs. The LAP is recognized 

by students, faculty and staff, and tutor center peers throughout the state. This highly-rated 

program deserves to have a stable college funding base for its valuable programs. 


• Library faculty and administration will work to restore and possibly increase library 

service hours. 

• Library administration will work to fill newly revised classified instructional assistant 

positions to staff the Computer Help Desk. 

• Library faculty will work with the Director of Instructional Support Services to 

include front-line library staff in all decisions that result in changes to student 

learning resources services. 

• The dean will work with college administration, which has expressed its commitment, 

to develop a stable funding base for the LAP. 

d. The institution provides effective maintenance and security for its library and 

other learning support services. 

Description 

All library materials have electronic security strips that prevent items from, however, 

leaving the library if they are not properly checked out. Security of the library building is 

problematic, however, because there are other offices and classrooms in the building that 

require access to the building even when the library is closed. 

In fall 2003 the college introduced a network access system for all students. Employee 

network access procedures have been in place for two years. The student network access 

logon procedure was launched in fall 2003. The Director of Instructional Support Services 



addresses campus-wide security and maintenance needs as it relates to instructional 

equipment, including working with the Innovation and Technology Center to service the 

needs of the library and Interdisciplinary Computer Center. 

Appraisal 

The new health sciences building (to be occupied in January 2005) will house the district 

offices and the college will recover the space currently occupied by the district on the third 

floor of the library building. The library modernization plans, listed as #1 in the college’s 

priority list for basic aid allocation, addresses the security of the library building and will 

locate all college student learning support services in the same building. 

The staff network access system works well but the student network access system needs 

improvement, which new software and hardware promise to improve. 

The Technology Plan for the college is comprehensive and carefully reviewed each year, 

but purchase and distribution of technology hardware and software to appropriate areas of 

the college has been severely limited by insufficient budgets. The college’s plan is to have 

technology refreshed every three years in computer intensive areas. In most cases this has 

not been possible and the college continues to fall further behind the state recommended 

Technology and Telecommunications Infrastructure Program (TTIP) guidelines. TTIP 

funding has been greatly reduced, hampering the college’s ability to make steady progress. 

Library administration continues to request approval of a dedicated learning resources 

technician because current support is not sufficient to keep pace with library technology 

support needs (See St. 3.C Planning Agendas). 


• Library administration will work to identify the full amount of funding required for 

the library modernization plans. 

• ITC and district IT staff will work to improve communication regarding district 

network access decisions that impact students and the frontline staff who work to 

meet their needs. 

e. When the institution relies on or collaborates with other institutions or other 

sources for library and other learning support services for its instructional 

programs, it documents that formal agreements exist and that such resources 

and services are adequate for the institution’s intended purposes, are easily 

accessible, and utilized. The performance of these services is evaluated on a 

regular basis. The institution takes responsibility for and assures the reliability 

of all services provided either directly or through contractual arrangement. 


129


Description 

Saddleback College and IVC libraries have informal agreements to serve each other’s 

students. This is facilitated by a district wide online catalog that highlights local campus 

resources while also displaying those of the sister campus. Saddleback College students are 

informed through classes and campus media that all resources in the database are available to 

them either by going directly to the IVC Library or by submitting interlibrary loan requests 

at the Reference Desk. Requested items are delivered to the requesting library for student 

use within 48 hours. Interlibrary access to periodicals and audiovisual resources within the 

district is currently limited to faculty and staff. 

Saddleback College and California State University, Fullerton have formal reciprocal 

agreements to serve each other’s students and faculty. All Saddleback College students 

have full library privileges at the CSUF Library in Fullerton through its open access policy. 

Saddleback College faculty may secure library privileges at UCI Library by presenting a 

college business card. The Saddleback College Honors Program students enjoy additional 

library privileges with UCI and UCLA libraries. 

Library faculty consults the holdings in local academic and public libraries whenever the 

college library is unable to meet student or faculty needs. Informal loan arrangements are in 

place through professional contacts. 

Appraisal 

The current arrangement between Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College libraries 

meets the needs of students and faculty. The SSS 2003 reports high levels of student 

satisfaction with learning resources available and the support they receive from its learning 

resources services and programs (2.14). The college meets the standard. 


N/A 

2. The institution evaluates library and other learning support services to assure their 

adequacy in meeting identified student needs. Evaluation of these services provides 

evidence that they contribute to the achievement of student learning outcomes. The 

institution uses the results of these evaluations as the basis for improvement. 

Description 

Librarians regularly and systematically evaluate library and learning resources in the 

collection. (2.36). Based on budget limitations, electronic resources are evaluated several 

times during the year to determine effectiveness and value to student research and 

information needs. Librarian liaisons to campus divisions and/or disciplines consult with 

faculty when weeding the book collection or when acquiring new resources. 



Reference statistics are used to determine reference and instruction schedules of librarians. 

Reference activity statistics are collected every semester and are reported in the division’s 

annual report to the state chancellor’s office. Library and college faculty work closely 

to ensure that the library is able to serve students’ assignment needs. The college faculty 

is asked to assess subject-specific library instruction sessions and the new Information 

Competency workshops. 

Library faculty meets regularly with the dean, the Director of Instructional Support Services, 

and the LAP coordinator to discuss local issues and new college developments that impact 

its programs. The meetings provide a forum for improving support and access to learning 

resources materials. 

The LAP regularly seeks student feedback and faculty input about the success and impact 

of LAP services to students through surveys to students and faculty and anecdotal evidence. 

Data is reviewed regularly, including the number of hours of tutoring assistance provided. 

Students who enroll in Tutoring 100 are surveyed every semester and tutoring methods and 

strategies evolve and improve based on these evaluations (2.37). 

The ITC, with the help of the college’s Technology Committee, has centralized equipment 

requests and support and has developed a set of standard specifications for computer 

hardware and software. It has scheduled deployment of equipment to classrooms, labs, the 

library, offices and other centers, and is creating a maintenance and replacement procedure 

for the new technology. 

The Reading, Writing, and Language labs collect student data with the Student Tracking 

System. The Reading program is preparing to conduct its program review. 

Appraisal 

The library evaluates its information and learning resources in a variety of ways that result 

in overall program improvement. That stated, there is no systematic or coordinated effort 

applied to the various evaluations currently taking place. While the library faculty tries 

to make decisions based on the mission of service to students, it uses an ad-hoc decisionmaking 

structure. The learning resources program review is scheduled for fall 2004 and may 

provide an opportunity to improve internal decision-making processes. The manual recordkeeping 

of reference transactions is cumbersome and time-consuming. The implementation 

of new information management systems could provide easier and more accurate reference 

transaction data and will also be able to provide more information on student success than is 

currently available. 

The ITC evaluates itself against the TTIP state guidelines in the areas of staffing, numbers of 

computers, printers and software. Even with the loss of state technology funding, the college 

strives to offer and maintain an advanced state of technology for its students. Numerous 

workshops are held each semester for the faculty and staff with the subject areas changing 

frequently to meet the needs of the campus technology. The ITC work order system is a 


131


continual source of feedback that reflects the college’s software usage, hardware failure, and 

user needs. 

To assess the effectiveness of its programs, the LAP relied on research support from the 

ORPG and the research analyst will continue to provide ongoing research support. The 

Student Tracking System helps the Reading, Writing, and Language labs to ensure they are 

meeting student needs. The data collected has helped the labs to increase service hours. The 

results of the Reading Department program review will help to improve the effectiveness of 

the program. 


• The library faculty and dean will review the learning resources mission statement and 

make necessary revisions. 

• The library faculty and dean will incorporate the mission statement into short- and 

long-term decision-making. 



References 


2.2 Academic Senate Program Review website: 

www.saddleback.edu/gov/senate/acsen 

2.3 2003-2004 Saddleback College Goals Action Plan 

2.4 Saddleback College Enrollment Management Plan 

2.5 Curriculum Procedures and Resources Manual 

2.6 Saddleback College Distance Education Plan 

2.7 2003-2004 Saddleback College Catalog 

2.8 SOCCCD Board Policy 5600 

2.9 Saddleback College website: www.saddleback.edu 

2.10 Saddleback College Spring 2004 Schedule of Classes 

2.11 2003-2004 Saddleback College Student Handbook. 


2.13 SOCCCD Board Policy 5401, 5404 


2.15 Admission, Records, and Enrollment Survey 

2.16 Matriculation Resarch Component 7 & 8 

2.17 The Early Alert Program 

2.18 Analysis of Probation Intervention Program at Saddleback College 

2.19 Research Data Warehouse: 

http://www1.socccd.cc.ca.us/docs/research/research.htm 

2.20 The Title III Grant Project 

2.21 Matriculation Research and Evaluation Studies 

Matriculation Research Component 4 

Matriculation Research Component 7 & 8 






2.22 Market Research Survey Executive Summary, 2001 

2.23 Ticket2Learn Highlights 2002 


133


2.24 Communication Arts Student Voice Briefing 2002 

2.25 Class Schedule Market Research Executive Summary 2002 

2.26 Approved Table of Contents for Program Review in Student Services 

2.27 Surveys in Student Services 

Admissions, Records and Enrollment Services, Students 

Admissions, Records and Enrollment Services, Faculty and Staff 

Associated Student Government Student Survey 

CalWORKs Student Survey 

Counseling Survey 

DSPS Student Survey 

EOPS Student Survey 

Health Center Sudent Survey 

Matriculation Sudent Survey, Advisement 

Matriculation Sudent Survey, Assessment 

Student Athletes 

Transfer Center, Application Workshop Evaluation 

Transfer Interest 

Transfer Center, Class Visit Evaluation 

Transfer Center, Transfer Workshop Evaluation 

International Eduation, Students 

The Center for Career and Life Development, Students 

The Center for Career and Life Development, Faculty and Staff 

2.28 Counseling Student Survey, 2002 

2.29 Admissions and Records Program Review, 2002 

2.30 ASG Program Review, 2002 

2.31 Counseling Program Review 2002/03 

2.32 Applied Psychology Courses, 2003 

2.33 Board Policy 5615 

2.34 They Said It Could Not be Done 

2.35 Saddleback College Library Database List 

2.36 Saddleback College Library CD Policy 

2.37 Learning Assistance Program (LAP) Status Report 


standard three 

2004 


Resources 

Claire Cesareo-Silva, Faculty (Chair) 

III.A: Human Resources 

Claire Cesareo-Silva (Chair) 

Cheryl Altman, Faculty 


Jerilyn Chuman, Administration 

Patti Weekes, Classified 

III.B: Physical Resources 

Harry Parmer, Classified Leadership 

(Co-Chair) 

Tony Lipold, Administration (Co-Chair) 

John Ozurovich, Classified Leadership 

III.C: Technological Resources 

Mark Schiffelbein, Classified Leadership 

(Chair) 

Don Taylor, Administration 

Mark Sierakowski, Classified 

III.D: Financial Resources 

Carol Hilton, Classified Leadership (Chair) 

Mary Williams, Classified 

Julie Bright, Faculty 

Don Lindboe, Classified 

Katie Slavin, District Classified Leadership


The institution effectively uses its human, physical, technology, and financial resources 

to achieve its broad educational purposes, including stated student learning outcomes, 

and to improve institutional effectiveness. 

A. Human Resources 

The institution employs qualified personnel to support student learning programs 

and services wherever offered and by whatever means delivered and to improve 

institutional effectiveness. Personnel are treated equitably, are evaluated regularly and 

systematically, and are provided opportunities for professional development. Consistent 

with its mission, the institution demonstrates its commitment to the significant 

educational role played by persons of diverse backgrounds by making positive efforts 

to encourage such diversity. Human resource planning is integrated with institutional 

planning. 

1. The institution assures the integrity and quality of its programs and services by 

employing personnel who are qualified by appropriate education, training, and 

experience to provide and support these programs and services. 

a. Criteria, qualifications, and procedures for selection of personnel are clearly 

and publicly stated. Job descriptions are directly related to institutional 

mission and goals and accurately reflect position duties, responsibilities, and 

authority. Criteria for selection of faculty include knowledge of the subject 

matter or services to be performed (as determined by individuals with discipline 

expertise), effective teaching, scholarly activities, and potential to contribute 

to the mission of the institution. Institutional faculty play a significant role in 

selection of new faculty. Degrees held by faculty and administrators are from 

institutions accredited by recognized U.S. accrediting agencies. Degrees from 

non-U.S. institutions are recognized only if equivalence has been established. 4 

Description 

Saddleback College has established a comprehensive method to assure that qualifications 

for each position are closely matched to specific program needs. The qualifications for each 

4 Joint Policy Statement on Transfer and Award of Academic Credit. 

136 

Standard Three: Resources


vacancy are linked to position requirements and responsibilities and standards established 

by the district Office of Human Resources. The college uses hiring prioritization committees 

for faculty and classified staff. It does not, however, have a formal hiring prioritization 

committee to review and recommend positions for deans, directors, or classified leadership. 

The chair of the Full-time Faculty Hiring Committee is the past Academic Senate President. 

A leader within the classified ranks chairs the Classified Hiring Prioritization Committee. 

Each committee works with a standardized form and divisions, programs, and departments 

complete the forms to submit their position requests. The committees use a formal process 

to rank and prioritize faculty and classified positions. College administrators have separate 

processes for ranking faculty and classified positions. These rankings are submitted to 

the president who works with faculty and classified leaders to create one common list. 

President’s Council approves the priority order of faculty positions before submission to the 

district for board approval. Once a position has been approved, the area administrator works 

closely with the Office of Human Resources and appropriate discipline specialists to establish 

specific job requirements and create job announcements. 

The Office of Human Resources establishes its hiring criteria by matching position 

requirements and responsibilities to industry standards. An applicant is determined to 

be qualified based upon the hiring committee screening tally and interview, evidence of 

transcripts and work experience, and the second-tier interview with the college president, 

a vice president and/or the chancellor (depending on the position), and thorough reference 

checks. 

The Office of Human Resources assigns one staff member (an HR employee) to serve as the 

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) representative on all hiring committees. The EEO 

representative also oversees scheduling, membership, voting, interview questions, tallying, 

and screening of all candidates in the hiring process. The Board of Trustees must approve all 

candidates recommended for hire. 

Classified Staff 

Applicants for classified positions undergo a rigorous review process monitored by the Office 

of Human Resources. For the first-level interview process, all applications meeting minimum 

qualifications are screened and ranked by a hiring committee of faculty, classified staff, and 

administration. After paper screening, the hiring committee selects and interviews the top 

candidates. The hiring committee makes its final recommendation to the college president 

based upon tallied scores, interviews, and reference checks. Classified leadership candidates 

have a second-level interview with the college president and a district representative. 

The last comprehensive analysis of classified job descriptions was conducted in 1989. 

Since then, two reclassification studies have been conducted and positions submitted for 

reclassification have been reviewed and updated. Job descriptions for all positions established 

on campus are written by a consultant and approved by the appropriate collective bargaining 

unit and the college president. Classified job listings are advertised and applications available 

via an online application form (http://www.socccdjobs.com). 

Standard Three: Resources 137


Faculty 

In December 2003, the Board of Trustees approved a new faculty hiring policy (3.1, 3.2). 

This policy is disputed by the Academic Senates of Saddleback College and Irvine Valley 

College and the Faculty Association because, in their view, the original policy revision 

process begun in January 2002 failed to involve the faculty, as required by the Education 

Code §87360(b). Only after judicial intervention did the SOCCCD, under a court order 

mandating the faculty be joint-venture partners, form a task force to jointly develop a new 

faculty hiring process. The Academic Senates are now seeking, at the appellate court level, 

to abrogate the 2003 faculty hiring policy until the district and faculty fulfill the remaining 

Education Code requirement that mutual agreement be reached on all procedures within the 

policy. 

The 2004-2005 faculty hiring process is currently underway. Faculty hiring committees 

currently use the 2003 policy, which requires an examination of the scholarship and teaching 

skills of candidates and their potential to contribute to the college mission. The former 

faculty hiring policy required a teaching demonstration of all faculty candidates. The 

new faculty hiring policy states that a teaching demonstration may be required during the 

interview process, but it does not make it mandatory. 

The Office of Human Resources works closely with the area administrator to advertise 

widely all faculty positions. Extensive advertising is done to ensure maximum exposure of 

these job opportunities to all qualified potential applicants including diverse populations. 

To select new, full-time faculty, a hiring committee comprised of faculty, staff, and 

administrators is formally established by the college and coordinated by the Office of Human 

Resources. The committee’s recommendations are forwarded to the president and vice 

president who conduct second-tier interviews. 

All applicants are required to submit official transcripts. The Office of Human Resources 

reviews the validity of each transcript and verifies educational degrees through the National 

Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). 

Reference checks are conducted by the hiring committee chair or designee and the Office of 

Human Resources. Before a candidate is forwarded for BOT approval, the Office of Human 

Resources verifies transcripts, professional references, and other pertinent information listed 

on the application prior to board approval. 

The hiring process for new associate faculty members is less formal and varies among 

divisions. The department chair or the division dean (sometimes with other faculty members) 

interviews part-time applicants. Associate faculty must meet minimum qualifications and are 

required to submit official transcripts prior to BOT approval. 

138 



Appraisal 

Faculty and some administrators are concerned that the district’s control of the hiring process 

will compromise the long-standing practice of involving the subject and instruction experts to 

guarantee that the best qualified candidates are selected. 

The Academic Senate disputes the recently approved faculty hiring policy because the new 

policy may eliminate faculty input in final hiring decisions. During the 2003-2004 hiring 

process the college president and the Academic Senate president have worked together to 

establish faculty hiring committees primarily composed of discipline experts. An additional 

concern is that the hiring committee is not permitted to rank the three candidates forwarded 

to the president for the second-tier interview nor are members of the hiring committee even 

permitted to know the names of the candidates to be forwarded. 

This concern was clearly expressed in EV2003 responses to item 34 (3.35). Over 53 percent 

of the FTO respondents did not feel that they are provided the opportunity to play an 

appropriate role in the hiring process. 


• The college will conduct an annual comprehensive assessment of its administrative, 

faculty, and classified staffing needs. 

b. The institution assures the effectiveness of its human resources by evaluating 

all personnel systematically and at stated intervals. The institution establishes 

written criteria for evaluating all personnel, including performance of assigned 

duties and participation in institutional responsibilities and other activities 

appropriate to their expertise. Evaluation processes seek to assess effectiveness 

of personnel and encourage improvement. Actions taken following evaluations 

are formal, timely, and documented. 

Description 

The criteria for evaluating faculty and classified staff are developed and approved through 

faculty and classified contract negotiations. The current academic administrator evaluation 

procedures were developed at the district level in the fall of 2002 (3.3). At all levels, 

established written criteria that effectively measure work performance, are used to evaluate 

personnel. Evaluations are systematically conducted at designated intervals with specific 

focus on the performance of each employee based upon job responsibilities and duties. 

The evaluation process includes performance indicators that are linked to institutional 

effectiveness and improvement. Once an evaluation is completed, the area administrator 

reviews the evaluation with the employee. When there is concern, the area administrator 

discusses strategies for improvement with the employee, e.g., a remediation plan with 

specific areas of improvement including timelines. For administrators, personal goals and 



objectives are a component of the evaluation process. Employee evaluations are shared 

with the college vice presidents and president. All employee evaluations are placed in the 

employee’s personnel file. Procedures and timelines for faculty evaluations are established 

by the faculty contract (3.4). For each category of staff, the appropriate administrator or 

supervisor completes a clearly defined performance review form. Untenured full-time faculty 

is evaluated once per year during the first four years on the tenure track. Tenured faculty is 

reviewed once every three years. The part-time faculty is evaluated during the first semester 

and thereafter once every four semesters. Each permanent classified employee is evaluated 

once every two years (3.5). According to the CSEA contract, new classified employees are on 

probation for twelve working months. Probationary employees are evaluated during the sixth 

and eleventh month of service. Administrators and classified leadership are evaluated once 

a year. After an initial two-year contract, all academic administrators are placed on a yearly 

contract. 

Appraisal 

The district abides by established policies and procedures regarding employee evaluations. 

There are no clear guidelines regarding who conducts an employee evaluation, e.g., classified 

staff may be evaluated by a division dean or the direct supervisor. In some instances, 

evaluations are performed either by faculty serving as a department chair or by a senior staff 

member. 

The division dean evaluates all full-time faculty. The evaluation of part-time faculty 

may be done either by the division dean or by the department chair. Because there are no 

specific guidelines for completing the narrative section of the evaluation form there are 

inconsistencies. Some evaluators write only a few sentences while others use the narrative to 

focus upon the employee’s strengths and areas that need improvement. 

The district has implemented a tracking procedure for classified and faculty evaluations to 

ensure they are completed in a timely fashion. 

Growth in student enrollment and reductions in faculty and classified staffs have resulted in 

increased workloads in some divisions. The college has not established division benchmarks 

for appropriate work levels and/or staffing needs even though a Deans’ Workload Survey has 

been conducted (3.6). There is concern that administrators’ workload limits their ability for 

professional growth and this may be reflected in their evaluations. 

The Board of Trustees recently approved new policies outlining the Duties and 

Responsibilities of the Faculty (3.7) and Duties and Responsibilities of the Department/ 

Academic Chair (3.8). These new policies add new duties to the workload of faculty and 

chairs. The Faculty Association has challenged these new policies through PERB as unfair 

labor practices because these items should have been discussed during negotiations. 

140 




• The college will explore hiring a consultant to conduct periodic workload studies for 

the staff and administrators in order to correctly assess staffing needs. 

• The college will encourage the district to provide training in good evaluation 

techniques and strategies for department chairpersons and college administrators. 

c. Faculty and others directly responsible for student progress toward achieving 

stated student learning outcomes have, as a component of their evaluation, 

effectiveness in producing those learning outcomes. 

Description 

Faculty evaluation is negotiated through collective bargaining. The faculty evaluation form 

has two sections: 1) The Instructor as Director of Learning, and 2) The Instructor’s Personal 

Qualifications (3.9). 

Academic administrators and faculty play a significant role in the integration of student 

learning outcomes into the curriculum and teaching practices. Course outlines and syllabi 

show that faculty uses class discussions, individual and group presentations, lab reports, 

portfolios, research papers, service learning opportunities, written journals, and reading 

assignments to promote and evaluate critical thinking skills and to measure learning. Faculty 

members continuously discuss ways to improve learning and student success in college 

in-service and division meetings, the Curriculum Committee, Academic Senate, through 

conferences and workshops, and informal gatherings. In 2002 and 2003 the college supported 

faculty to attend various training sessions on SLOs. 

In accordance with the faculty contract, student evaluations may be conducted by faculty 

for their personal use and professional development, but may not be included as part of the 

faculty evaluation process or their personnel file. 

Appraisal 

The faculty evaluation form does not address the effectiveness of faculty in achieving student 

learning outcomes (SLOs). While some evaluators address the diversity of assessment 

measures in faculty evaluations, this is not on the current evaluation form. This can only be 

changed through the negotiations process, which is currently underway. 

With the exception of vocational programs, most departments, programs, and divisions have 

not established a system to evaluate how well students are mastering the course content or 

to evaluate the effectiveness in producing student learning outcomes with meaningful and 

useful results. 

Although a core of faculty and academic administrators are highly committed to the 

integration of SLOs into the curriculum and have attended training sessions on SLOs, there 



are some who have not yet received such training. With increased workloads, it is difficult for 

faculty and academic administrators to meet collectively about curricular and teaching issues. 


• The college will strengthen its learning environment by creating additional 

professional development opportunities that focus on SLOs for its faculty and staff. 

• The Academic Senate will enter into discussions with the Faculty Association 

regarding the faculty evaluation form and the inclusion of student learning outcomes. 

d. The institution upholds a written code of professional ethics for all of its 

personnel. 

Description 

In 1998, the Academic Senate drafted and approved the “Faculty Code of Ethics and 

Professional Standards” (3.10). In September 2003, the board approved Board Policy 1400, 

its “Code of Ethics for Members of the Board of Trustees” (3.11). There is currently no 

written code of professional ethics for college administration or classified staff. 

Appraisal 

The district lacks a tangible and enforceable code of professional ethics to define, strengthen, 

and promote integrity, ethics, and trust. Moreover, there is no concrete strategy to develop 

and implement a code of professional ethics for all college staff. 


• The college’s shared governance groups will work with the district to establish a code 

of professional ethics for all district personnel. 

2. The institution maintains a sufficient number of qualified faculty with full-time 

responsibility to the institution. The institution has a sufficient number of staff 

and administrators with appropriate preparation and experience to provide the 

administrative services necessary to support the institution’s mission and purposes. 

Description 

The college does not have a comprehensive staffing or workload plan. There is no automatic 

replacement of any vacant full-time position. Budget constraints, college priorities, and 

district budget allocation decisions make it difficult to fill vacancies. 

The chancellor requested a Deans’ Workload Survey to examine workload equity of deans 

at both colleges (3.6). The Task-force produced the executive summary of the survey 

and disseminated the results but it contained no actionable recommendations. A Division 

142 



Instructional Workload and Support Study (DIWSS), completed in the fall 2003, documents 

different growth patterns among the academic divisions over the last five years (3.12). 

Faculty 

In 2002 - 2003, only two full-time faculty members were hired because the college obtained 

a waiver from the state chancellor’s office, which reduced the full-time faculty obligation. 

According to the November 2003 Full-Time Faculty Obligation Report submitted to the 

state chancellor’s office, 59.09 percent of current FTEF is attributable to full-time faculty 

(3.13). This figure represents the district total. At the college, our full-time faculty percentage 

is 52 percent. The workload of department chairs has been reviewed to examine workload 

levels relative to compensation and a few adjustments have been made. According to board 

mandate, chairs are no longer eligible for reassigned time. Instead, they receive a stipend and 

must add these responsibilities to their full-time teaching loads. 

Classified Staff 

The college does not have a comprehensive staffing plan and there is no automatic 

replacement of classified vacancies. Nevertheless, whenever a vacancy occurs, a decision 

is made by senior staff whether to replace that vacancy or reallocate the position to a higher 

need area. Overall, classified staffing levels have minimally increased since 1998. 

The Office of Human Resources has advised the colleges that the classified staff hiring 

process has been postponed until May 2004. 

Academic Administration 

In addition to deans, some divisions also have assistant deans. The current division structure 

is the result of a districtwide reorganization in July 1997 that reduced the number of college 

divisions from ten to eight. A further college reorganization in 1999 created our current 

divisional structure, which includes larger divisions with diverse instructional disciplines 

and programs. In addition, all divisions have experienced substantial enrollment growth in 

student headcount and weekly student contact hours (WSCH). 

Appraisal 

The college does not maintain an adequate number of full-time staff. In 2002-2003, the 

college did not meet the state’s full-time faculty obligation but the state chancellor’s office 

waived the requirement for all college districts. Data shows that full-time faculty have 

increased by 7 percent, classified staff by 3 percent, and academic administrators by 8 percent 

over the last 5 years, but student enrollment has grown approximately 9 percent during this 

same period. Therefore, there is a commonly-held perception that replacement of full-time 

faculty and classified staff is not sufficient to offset retirements, deaths and resignations, and 

accommodate growth. 

California Education Code 87482.6 established that 75 percent of the hours of credit 

instruction in the California Community Colleges be taught by full-time faculty as a best 



practice standard. The state chancellor’s office, however, has established a full-time faculty 

obligation percentage for the SOCCCD of approximately 60 percent (although this figure 

changes from year to year). In fall 2003, the district maintained a full-time faculty average 

of 59 percent, as reported to the state, with the college’s percentage being 52 percent. Since 

this latter figure is an average for the college, some divisions are understandably above or 

below this average. While the percentage indicated in the Education Code is not mandated, 

the college community feels that we should strive to reach this percentage as it would create 

a better educational environment for students. The college has excellent part-time faculty but 

they are not often available for students outside of the scheduled class time. 

The Division Instructional Workload and Support Study (DIWSS), conducted by the ORPG 

in spring 2003, shows that there is an imbalance among divisions in regards to 1) the 

workload/compensation of department chairs and student enrollment growth; 2) number 

of full- and part-time faculty; and 3) administrative and classified staff levels (3.12). In 

2003, the BOT approved a new policy (B.P. 4310) defining the duties of department chairs 

(3.8). However, workload matters were not considered when this policy was developed. 

This imbalance adversely affects the ability of chairs and deans to perform their job 

responsibilities in an effective manner. While the college has added assistant deans to two 

divisions, where they are primarily responsible for administering specific programs within 

those divisions (e.g., nursing and athletics), it has not systematically evaluated the deans’ 

workload relative to the division pattern of growth in student enrollment, classified and 

faculty staffing levels, work responsibilities, workload and support by academic chairs. The 

DIWSS also shows that deans would like to have more time to address student needs (3.12). 

In some divisions, classified staff levels are not sufficient to support program growth. This 

shortage of classified staff in some areas has resulted in heavier reliance on fewer full-time 

employees to carry out day-to-day tasks. Similarly, growth and an aging infrastructure have 

created a shortage of maintenance staff so that routine upkeep of classrooms and other 

facilities (e.g., sports fields) cannot be performed consistently. 

In EV 2003, item 34 shows that only 28 percent of FTO staff agrees that they are provided 

adequate opportunities to play an appropriate role in selecting full-time staff (3.35). An 

additional 19.6 percent has no opinion. One possible explanation for these disappointing 

numbers could be that this survey was taken during a time when faculty were actively 

opposing the new faculty hiring policy, which they felt reduced faculty participation in the 

process. A second possible explanation is that, due to funding problems, recommendations 

from the (faculty and classified) staffing committees do not always result in hiring. 


• The college, in consultation with shared governance groups, will develop a 

comprehensive staffing and workload plan to determine replacement and new 

hiring for faculty, classified, and administrative positions including procedures for 

emergency replacement of key personnel. 

144 



3. The institution systematically develops personnel policies and procedures that are 

available for information and review. Such policies and procedures are equitably 

and consistently administered. 

a. The institution establishes and adheres to written policies ensuring fairness in all 

employment procedures. 

Description 

The district develops faculty and classified personnel policies and procedures via collective 

bargaining and board policy through a shared governance process. District policies are 

written in accordance with the California Education Code and other applicable laws. The 

Vice Chancellor for Educational Services formed task forces comprised of faculty, staff, 

and administrators to review and revise board policies and administrative regulations. The 

district publishes and distributes copies of the faculty and classified contracts, the Board 

Policy Manual, and the Administrative Regulations to all divisions and the offices of the 

vice presidents. Faculty and classified staff contracts and board policies are available via the 

district web site (3.2, 3.3). 

The Office of Human Resources provides training for its administrative and classified 

leadership in good hiring practices, evaluation, and supervision of personnel. The college 

encourages its administration and classified leadership to participate in these training 

sessions. 

College administration and classified leadership work with the Office of Human Resources to 

ensure that implementation of policies results in fair treatment of personnel. 

All bargaining units consistently monitor and intervene in cases where the institution may 

be violating fair labor practices and the negotiated contracts. College administrators are not 

represented by a bargaining unit. 

Appraisal 

Classified staff and faculty employment contracts provide protection to ensure fair labor 

practices but revised policies adopted by the BOT are sometimes in conflict with established 

or negotiated practices. Shared governance sometimes does not work to ensure meaningful 

participation in the creation or revision of new policies and procedures, as evidenced by 

the recent adoption of BP 4011.1, Full-Time Faculty Hiring (3.1), BP 4309, Duties and 

Responsibilities of the Faculty (3.7), and BP 4310, Duties and Responsibilities of the 

Academic/Department Chairs (3.8), all of which are disputed by the Academic Senates and 

the Faculty Association. College administrators, however, have little or no protection and 

work with one-year contracts following an initial two-year contract. This contributes to a 

sense of insecurity, evidenced in the verbatim comments in EV 2003 (3.35). This insecure 

work environment discourages innovation and risk-taking, which two-year contracts for 

administrators could improve. 




• The college will encourage the district to review and revise its fairness in employment 

procedures and policies to include college administrative staff. 

• The college will encourage the district and board to give serious consideration to twoyear 

contracts for administrative staff. 

b. The institution makes provision for the security and confidentiality of personnel 

records. Each employee has access to his/her personnel records in accordance 

with law. 

Description 

Administrator, faculty, and classified personnel files are secured in the Office of Human 

Resources. These personnel records are confidential and may be reviewed only by the 

individual employee, an immediate administrator or classified manager, the vice presidents, 

and the president. The Office of Human Resources allows employees to access their files by 

appointment only and under the direct supervision of a qualified employee of the Office of 

Human Resources. 

College administration is responsible for placing pertinent documents such as evaluations, 

letters of reprimand, and remediation plans into employee personnel files. It is the 

responsibility of the Office of Human Resources to maintain these files and keep them 

confidential and current in terms of transcripts, employment records, and personnel issues. 

College administrators receive training for personnel evaluation and documentation of poor 

work performance. 

Appraisal 

There have been instances where evaluations sent by the divisions to the Office of Human 

Resources do not get placed in the official personnel file. The Office of Human Resources, 

with assistance from college administration, is updating personnel records and finding ways 

to improve personnel records management. 


• The college will work closely with the Office of Human Resources to ensure that 

personnel files are maintained current. 

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4. The institution demonstrates through policies and practices an appropriate 

understanding of and concern for issues of equity and diversity. 

a. The institution creates and maintains appropriate programs, practices, and 

services that support its diverse personnel. 

Description 

Goal #11 of the SOCCCD and college is to “improve respect, consideration of, and 

sensitivity for diverse groups and perspectives.” (3.14). Moreover, Board Policy 4000.4 

states that “It is the intent of the Board to establish and maintain within the District and all 

of its programs and activities a policy of equal opportunity in employment for all persons, 

and to prohibit discrimination, preferential treatment, or harassment based on sex (gender), 

race, color, ethnic group identification, national origin, ancestry, religion, mental or physical 

disability, medical condition, marital status or sexual orientation or because an individual is 

perceived as having one or more of the above characteristics.” (3.15) 

The SOCCCD Almanac (http://www.socccd.org/ref/almanac/almanac.asp) presents tabular 

data for fall 2003 college and district employee racial and ethnic distribution. The tables 

show that 76.7 percent of full-time faculty and staff is White (non-Hispanic), 12 percent is 

Hispanic, 4.5 percent is Black, and 3.8 percent is Asian/Pacific Islander. 

In terms of equity, the district schedules regular training sessions on sexual harassment 

during in-service week. All employees are required to attend. The Disabled Students 

Programs and Services office provides disability awareness and training throughout the 

academic year. 

The state chancellor’s office provides Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO staff and faculty 

diversity) funds to the district in the amount of roughly $24,000 per year. The purpose 

of these funds is to support outreach and recruitment and to provide in-service training 

about diversity matters. The Office of Human Resources controls these funds, and for the 

2003-2004 academic year, the bulk of these funds ($21,000) were allocated to the sexual 

harassment in-service training. 

Appraisal 

Staff diversity was not specifically addressed in EV 2003 but one item asked employees if 

differing viewpoints were encouraged (3.35). Six-one percent of FTO disagreed that differing 

points of view are encouraged. The verbatim comments in EV 2003 mention unfair treatment 

and an environment that discourages risk-taking. 

Unlike sexual harassment, there is no comparable formal program for cultural diversity/ 

sensitivity training nor is there a staff diversity plan. Indeed, in confidential interviews 

with staff from underrepresented groups there is a strong feeling that not enough has been 

done to address the concerns of our diverse personnel; to encourage the recruitment of 

diverse personnel; and/or to assist/encourage those already employed by the college to get 



promotions. In the past, faculty and classified staff could request EEO funds to sponsor staff 

development and/or cultural activities but these funds have not been made available recently 

(3.16). 


• The college faculty, staff, and administrators will work with the Office of Human 

Resources to incorporate annual staff diversity/sensitivity training during in-service. 

b. The institution regularly assesses its record in employment equity and diversity 

Description 

consistent with its mission. 

Advertisements for all job openings are distributed widely in an attempt to ensure a diverse 

pool of applicants. All hiring committees must have an EEO representative present at all 

proceedings. Since the passage of Proposition 209, the role of the EEO representative is 

simply to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly with respect to procedures. In addition, 

post Proposition 209, the annual district diversity of staff progress report is no longer 

required by the state chancellor’s office. 

Appraisal 

The college is situated in a region that is becoming increasingly more diverse and this is 

reflected in enrollment demographics. In 2003, Saddleback College student body was 66.2 

percent White (non-Hispanic), 12.3 percent Hispanic, 8.6 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, 

and 1.5 percent Black. The demographics of the institution’s full-time faculty and staff do 

not reflect this diversity. In 2003, the number of full-time employees was 494. Of that, 76.7 

percent is White, 12 percent is Hispanic, 3.8 percent is Asian/Pacific Islander, and 4.5 percent 

is Black. The full-time faculty figures show that 82 percent is White, 6.6 percent is Hispanic, 

3.8 percent is Black, and 5 percent is Asian/Pacific Islander. The disparity is more obvious 

in administration where, out of 13 administrators, 92 percent is White and 7 percent is black 

(this represents one individual), with no other ethnicities represented. (The Almanac, http:// 

www.socccd.org/ref/almanac/almanac.asp). The college has no regular assessment procedure 

in relation to equity and diversity. 


• The college, through a task force comprised of administrators, faculty, staff, and 

students, will encourage the district to develop a proactive employment equity and 

diversity plan, as specified in the college’s Goals Action Plan Goal #11, and to devise 

a method to track progress in this area. 

148 



c. The institution subscribes to, advocates, and demonstrates integrity in the 

Description 

treatment of its administration, faculty, staff, and students. 

The college mission states that one of its goals is “to support a dynamic environment of 

innovation and collegiality.” 

The college uses board policies, administrative regulations, and collective bargaining 

agreements for faculty and classified staff to define governing rules relative to the treatment 

of personnel. These documents align with the college’s mission, vision, and core values. 

Appraisal 

While the college mission states that the college fosters an environment of innovation 

and collegiality, perceptions voiced in EV 2003 indicate that poor institutional climate is 

a concern for many college employees (3.35). Indeed, 70 of FTO respondents disagree 

that the college climate is characterized by trust among constituencies. While verbatim 

comments in EV 2003 express overall satisfaction with the ability of the staff to carry out 

the college mission, there is a strong sentiment that if the district-college relationship were 

more collegial, the college could be even more successful in fulfilling its mission. The most 

common reasons listed involve district micromanagement of the college and difficult contract 

negotiations. 


• The college, in consultation with all governance groups, will work with the district to 

act on its mission statement by developing an atmosphere that demonstrates integrity 

in the treatment of its staff and students. 

5. The institution provides all personnel with appropriate opportunities for continued 

professional development, consistent with the institutional missions and based on 

identified teaching and learning needs. 

a. The institution plans professional development activities to meet the needs of its 

personnel. 

Description 

An action strategy of Goal #7 of the Goals Action Plan is to develop an orientation program 

for all new employees (3.14). The Academic Senate has developed and implemented 

an orientation program for new faculty with participation from former officers. Faculty, 

classified, and administrative staff have opportunities and are encouraged to participate in 

staff development seminars and workshops. For years, the state has provided funding for 

projects to improve teaching, provide in-service training for vocational needs, re-train faculty, 



develop innovative instructional and administrative programs, and implement programs 

in computer and technological proficiency. The Faculty Development and Classified Staff 

Development Committees administer these funds. 

Each year approximately 250 funding awards are made to full- and part-time faculty to attend 

conferences or work on independent projects. Faculty development funds are also utilized to 

provide technology training through the Innovation and Technology Center, and hosting the 

Great Teachers Conference. 

According to state requirements and the faculty contract (3.4), faculty members must 

participate in 38 hours per year of flex-credit activities. The college and district sponsor 

numerous activities during in-service week in fall and spring to ensure that faculty and 

staff have adequate opportunities for ongoing professional development. Participation in 

professional conferences and other activities can also satisfy the flex-credit requirement. 

The college had a Title III grant during 1997-2002. One of the goals of the grant was to 

infuse technology into the curriculum and improve the technological expertise of faculty. 

Through this grant 42 faculty received stipends to enhance and/or develop their technological 

expertise. This grant also provided funding for faculty development activities that focused on 

technology. 

Full-time faculty members are eligible to apply for sabbatical leave after being employed for 

six consecutive years. The purpose of the sabbatical leave is to allow faculty to work on a 

professional development project. Every year the district makes available up to 29 semesters 

of sabbatical leaves for the district. The formula for calculating the number of sabbaticals is a 

negotiable item and this figure is a percentage of the total number of full-time faculty. 

Appraisal 

State staff development funds were eliminated 2002-2003. The college has back-filled 

these funds at 50 percent of the prior state allocation for faculty and staff. However, due 

to unfortunate oversights, faculty understood that no funds were available for 2003-2004 

activities and, as a result, many did not attend or participate in professional conferences. 

In March 2004, the oversight that the college president had made $20,000 available for 

projects and other off-campus activities in the 2003-2004 budget was uncovered. The faculty 

welcomed this funding for April and May. 

One of the reasons for the various circumstances that led to the oversight is that the 

Faculty Development Committee essentially works on an ad-hoc basis. Furthermore, the 

chairmanship of Faculty Development has been unstable. To do a proper job requires 

sufficient time (a stipend is not the answer) and given the district policy of no reassigned 

time, no faculty member is willing to assume the leadership of this committee in addition to a 

full-time load. 

In-service activities are geared to all college personnel. In addition, the classified staff 

dedicate one full day per semester to staff development activities. The CSEA contract, 

150 



approved in late 2003, allows classified staff to participate in staff development activities for 

up to 90 minutes per month (3.5). 


• The college will make a commitment to faculty and staff development by establishing 

a minimum level of annual funding to be announced during spring for the following 

academic year. 

• The Academic Senate will work with college and district leadership to restore 

reassigned time for the chair of the Faculty Development Committee. 

b. With the assistance of the participants, the institution systematically evaluates 

professional development programs and uses the results of these evaluations as 

the basis for improvement. 

Description 

In-service evaluation forms are distributed to participating faculty. The results are analyzed to 

plan future activities. Faculty who request funding for off-campus activities must fill out an 

evaluation form specifying the benefits of the activity for the individual and the college. 

Appraisal 

Although evaluation forms are available, participants often do not complete the forms. 

Furthermore, these evaluations are not systematically analyzed to improve staff development 

programs. 


• The college will work with the faculty and classified staff development committees to 

ensure that evaluations are analyzed to improve future staff development activities. 

6. Human resource planning is integrated with institutional planning. The institution 

systematically assesses the effective use of human resources and uses the results of 

the evaluation as the basis for improvement. 

Description 

Strategic Directions 2000 (SD 2000), the college strategic plan, the Comprehensive Planning 

Framework (CPF), and the Enrollment Management Plan (EMP), integrate human resources 

planning (3.17, 3.18, 3.19), but these plans tend to be theoretical and do not have concrete 

links to budgeting, thereby limiting their usefulness in planning and/or evaluating human 

resource needs (See Standard I.B). 



Appraisal 

While college leadership has implemented some components of the CPF to ensure that 

staffing decisions are linked to budget, there is no comprehensive human resources plan. The 

college has attempted to analyze workload and staffing needs, but it has yet to complete a 

systematic and comprehensive evaluation of its human resources. 


• The college will establish a systematic and ongoing evaluation of college workload 

and staffing needs with links to budget decisions. 

• The college will develop a comprehensive human resources plan. 

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B. Physical Resources 

Physical resources, which include facilities, equipment, land, and other assets, support 

student learning programs and services and improve institutional effectiveness. Physical 

resource planning is integrated with institutional planning. 

1. The institution provides safe and sufficient physical resources that support and 

assure the integrity and quality of its programs and services, regardless of location 

or means of delivery. 

a. The institution plans, builds, maintains, and upgrades or replaces its physical 

resources in a manner that assures effective utilization and the continuing 

quality necessary to support its programs and services. 

Description 

Facilities 

Saddleback College ensures that the institution has adequate physical resources to support its 

educational programs. The five-year Educational and Facilities Master Plan (EFMP) is the 

blueprint for all the processes that support the physical facility (3.20). 

Computer software analyzes and assigns appropriate space to each class section once the 

class schedule is created. In addition, capacity ratios are analyzed and compared to the 

standards established by the state chancellor’s Office of Facility Planning. To partially meet 

the needs of the modernization of facilities, three new facilities have been or are being 

constructed. The Lifetime Fitness Center and Horticulture Greenhouses were completed in 

fall 2003; the new Health Sciences/District Office building broke ground in fall 2003. Plans 

have already been completed by an architectural firm for a total modernization of the library 

building when the district offices vacate the third floor of the library. 

The EFMP, extensively modified in 2001, drives new construction and modifications to 

existing facilities. Every five years, the EFMP undergoes a comprehensive review and 

revision, involving full participation of the college and the district, with approval by the 

Board of Trustees. Each year, the district’s Five-Year Construction Plan is reviewed and 

revised by the District Director of Facilities, approved by the Board of Trustees, and 

submitted to the state chancellor’s office for funding. The plan is reviewed before major 

projects are submitted to the state for funding to allow the college community to give input 

regarding project priorities. 

The Facilities Committee is responsible for prioritizing facilities modifications. The college 

utilizes off-campus sites for many of its programs. The Office of Instruction considers and 

selects offsite facilities in an attempt to enhance community access to college programs. 



Safety 

The college implements the Injury & Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) to meet its obligation 

to maintain a safe and healthful work place. Safety and health procedures and practices 

are published in the IIPP, the Blood Borne Pathogens Prevention Program, and the Office 

Ergonomic Program. (3.21, 3.22, 3.23). District policies and practices are implemented in 

order to provide a safe and healthful work place. All operations are in compliance with the 

IIPP and applicable federal, state standards, and local regulations. 

The college works to ensure that all employees comply with workplace safety and health 

practices through annual required training. Administrators and classified leadership monitor 

ongoing performance and IIPP participation through the performance appraisal process that 

includes disciplinary measures for work safety violations. 

The Safety Committee, comprised of classified staff, faculty, and administrators, ensures 

that the college complies with established safety standards. This committee reviews reports 

of safety inspections, investigations of occupational accidents, and causes of any incident 

resulting in injury, illness, or exposure to hazardous substances. When appropriate, the 

committee makes recommendations to college administrators to improve the college safety 

record. 

The college maintains a campus police department that is certified under the provisions 

established by the California Commission for Peace Officer Standards and Training. 

Any staff member can provide notification of safety concerns in an anonymous manner. Site 

managers submit all anonymous notifications to the Safety Committee for review. 

The college also has a Crime Awareness and Prevention Program to meet its obligation 

to maintain a safe and secure work place. The college publishes and distributes an annual 

campus security report as required by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security 

Policies and Campus Crime Statistics Act to inform existing and prospective students and 

employees and also publishes this information online (http://www.saddleback.edu/csafe/ 

know.html). This report discloses crime statistics for the last three years and includes 

information about security policies and programs to prevent and deter crime and unlawful 

behavior (3.24). 

Facilities Maintenance 

The college utilizes a computerized maintenance management system to schedule all work 

orders. The preventive maintenance program includes most of the major pieces of equipment 

that supports college operations, such as heating and air conditioning systems. This program 

is continually reviewed and expanded to include other equipment as the need arises. Monthly 

reports are generated and reviewed by the Director of Operations & Maintenance to monitor 

the utilization of maintenance staff. 

Saddleback College supports an aggressive energy conservation program to further ensure 

effective operation of its physical and budget resources. Since 1998, the college has 

154 



implemented several energy conservation programs, such as a co-generation plant to meet the 

college’s electrical and heating needs and energy-efficient lighting, and improved ventilation 

and air conditioning systems. These enhancements are projected to save more than $11 M 

over a 15-year period. 

Capital Equipment 

The Instructional Equipment Committee and the Technology Committee allocate state block 

grant funds. The committees analyze the adequacy of the college’s equipment and technology 

resources. The goals of both committees are to establish a prioritized list of equipment 

purchases or upgrades based upon the needs of the college’s programs and services, including 

distance education. The Equipment Committee convenes annually to assess, prioritize, and 

recommend instructional and non-instructional equipment purchases and upgrades. The 

Technology Committee convenes annually to assess, prioritize, and recommend instructional 

and non-instructional technology equipment purchases and upgrades. Each year the college 

has purchased additional equipment and technology from a variety of other funding sources 

(e.g., grants). 

Appraisal 

According to the SSS 2003, the college provides safe physical resources to the campus 

community. College staff also expressed overall satisfaction with the safety of the college in 

EV 2003 (3.35). An area of concern was additional on-campus parking and more convenient 

parking in upper campus. During the last two years, more than 400 additional parking spaces 

have been added in upper campus. 

Yet concern was expressed about the adequacy and environmental quality of current 

facilities. The college has performed air quality studies in those building and the results 

have yielded no environmental hazards. In the verbatim comments of EV 2003 (3.35), 

several employees commented upon the less than clean condition of the buildings, the lack 

of sufficient technology in classrooms, and poor ventilation of some buildings. College 

administration promises that the most serious problems will be corrected when the affected 

building is re-roofed in summer 2004. While the college follows the IIPP in the determination 

of safety standards, most employees are not aware of those standards (3.21). 

Insufficient staff cannot perform preventive maintenance of instructional equipment. The 

response rate to fix equipment can be slow, which can impact the quality of instruction. 

Despite the relatively large number of facilities available, there is a shortage of classroom 

space during the peak hours of 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. This situation 

should improve with the addition of the new 60,000 sq. ft. Health Sciences building and 

the 10,000 sq. ft. of district space that will revert to the college once the district vacates 

the third floor of the library building. Nevertheless, these new facilities and future library 

modernization only partially address the growing needs of the aging infrastructure. The 

college has several old buildings in need of major structural and cosmetic overhauls, to 

include state of the art technology and equipment. 



The college spent considerable resources on the development of the EFMP in 2001 (3.20). 

This plan was presented to the entire college community, approved by the BOT, and it 

recommended major restructuring of the college’s layout. The plan, however, was not 

followed in determining the location of the new Health Sciences/District Office building. 


• The college will analyze additional parking needs in high-use areas and make 

recommendations for possible solutions. 

• The college will compare the financial impact of implementing an instructional 

equipment preventive maintenance plan vs. the cost of equipment replacement. 

• The college will analyze maintenance and support needs of the aging infrastructure 

to ensure that these costs are adequately and realistically addressed in institutional 

planning. 

• The college will ensure that future Educational and Facilities Master Plans reflect 

realistic possibilities for the development of the college’s infrastructure. 

• The college and district will provide adequate opportunities throughout the year for 

IIPP training and will encourage all faculty and staff to receive training. 

b. The institution assures that physical resources at all locations where it offers 

courses, programs, and services are constructed and maintained to assure 

access, safety, security, and healthful learning and working environment. 

Description 

Most campus facilities are open Monday- Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Some 

buildings are open for limited hours on Saturdays. Students and staff are required to carry 

photo identification cards while on campus. During non-business hours (11:00 p.m. to 6:30 

a.m. weekdays, weekends, and holidays), employees who need access to college offices or 

other facilities must notify campus police of arrival and departure times. 

The Master Calendar staff coordinates public use of college facilities. Campus police have 

access to an approved schedule of facilities use updated daily, including weekends and 

holidays. 

The Office of Instruction selects off-site facilities with input from divisions to ensure their 

adequacy and compliance with relevant safety and security requirements. 

The Facilities Committee, comprised of all college constituencies and chaired by the Director 

of Maintenance & Operations, meets annually to prioritize facility improvement projects. 

156 



Appraisal 

The SSS 2003 (3.36) and EV 2003 (3.35) provide evidence that the college is implementing 

effective safety and security processes, in both on- and off-campus facilities. 

The college makes reasonable attempts to modify existing facilities to allow access for the 

disabled and it has established plans for disability access in all new facilities. There have 

been reports of classroom key distribution problems for evening or weekend instructors. 

Recently the college has installed swiped key pads in some areas to allow access to 

authorized personnel. With adequate funding the entire campus could be re-keyed to enhance 

access and improve security. The college is aware that it must enhance the process of 

distributing information about safety and security procedures to off-site instructors. 


• The college will develop a comprehensive written policy for the distribution and 

collection of keys to all employees. 

• The college will develop additional information distribution processes for off-site 

instructors and increase liaison with external law enforcement jurisdictions at relevant 

off-site locations. 

2. To assure the feasibility and effectiveness of physical resources in supporting 

institutional programs and services, the institution plans and evaluates its facilities 

and equipment on a regular basis, taking utilization and other relevant data into 

account. 

a. Long-range capital plans support institutional improvement goals and reflect 

projections of the total cost of ownership of new facilities and equipment. 

Description 

Capital planning for the campus is accomplished through the Educational and Facilities 

Master Plan (EFMP) process. Approximately every five years a thorough and comprehensive 

review of all of the college’s programs and services is completed (3.20). In addition, future 

growth and demographics of the college’s community is assessed. All college and district 

constituent groups are represented in this process. From the results of this study, existing 

facilities are evaluated to determine their adequacy in meeting the future demands of the 

college’s infrastructure to support its programs and services. Capital improvements are 

recommended based upon the total cost of ownership for existing facilities. 

In 2003, the college completed its Facility Condition Assessment Report by a contracted 

state agency (3.25). This report provided a thorough inspection and evaluation of all campus 

facilities to document the level of funding required for replacement and upgrading of campus 

facilities. The data from this report will be utilized to prioritize scheduled maintenance 



projects and funding requests. In addition, the report will assist in long-range capital planning 

for the college by assessing the total cost of ownership of an existing facility and determining 

when facility replacement is more economical than continued maintenance or repairs. Goal 

#8 and #10 of the Goals Action Plan focus on facility, technology, and maintenance needs 

(3.14). 

Appraisal 

Although long-range capital plans reflect the total cost of ownership, the limitations of 

the college budget may not support the total cost of ownership of new facilities. The 

deterioration of the current physical infrastructure is a reminder that the college budget 

cannot fully support the effective maintenance of its facilities. Goals # 8 and #10 recognize 

these needs and define action strategies to correct the problems. 


• In accordance with the college’s 2004 Goals Action Plan (Goals #8 and #10), the 

college, through increased efficiencies and other strategies, will address the needs of 

its deteriorating facilities to improve delivery of programs and services. 

b. Physical resource planning is integrated with institutional planning. The 

institution systematically accesses the effective use of physical resources and uses 

the results of the evaluation as the basis for improvement. 

Description 

The Educational and Facilities Master Plan addresses long-term capital improvements 

while the college assesses short-term facilities and equipment needs through its committee 

structure. 

Appraisal 

SSS 2003 item 77 shows that 66 percent of students are satisfied with the college’s physical 

facility (3.36). And yet, the problems of an aging infrastructure are apparently not being fully 

or adequately addressed. In EV 2003, some staff members complained about buildings that 

leak, ventilation, and other environmental problems (3.35). While planning documents take 

into account physical resource planning, these plans have not been fully implemented due to 

insufficient college funds. 


• Saddleback College will analyze its physical resources planning process, evaluate the 

needs of its aging infrastructure, and develop a prioritized remediation plan. 

158 



C. Technology Resources 

Technology resources are used to support student learning programs and services 

and to improve institutional effectiveness. Technology planning is integrated with 


1. The institution assures that any technology support it provides is designed to 

meet the needs of learning, teaching, collegewide communications, research, and 

operational systems. 

a. Technology services, professional support, facilities, hardware, and software are 

designed to enhance the operation and effectiveness of the institution. 

Description 

Saddleback College supports students, faculty, and staff through effective implementation of 

information technology as detailed in the Saddleback College Technology Plan (3.26). This 

evolving three-year plan, adopted in 1999, is revised every year (http://iserver.saddleback. 

edu/faculty/accreditation/docs/technology_plan_2001.pdf). 

The Innovation and Technology Center (ITC) manages all college technology needs. This 

department serves as a centralized technology service and training center for college faculty 

and staff. The ITC is the “central nervous system” of the college and provides computer 

technology support for all essential college functions ranging from student registration to 

controlling the heating and air conditioning systems. 

The Technology Committee, comprised of faculty, staff and administrators, ensures that 

effective decisions regarding technology are made to meet the needs of learning, teaching, 

communication, research, and operations. Each year this committee convenes in the fall to 

evaluate and prioritize all technology requests. Through a prioritization process (linked to the 

Technology Plan), the committee allocates technology and software funds. 

Saddleback College incorporates information technology into the curriculum via the 

classroom and/or labs. All faculty, staff, and students have access to information technology 

services: college web site, email, MySite, and Knowledge Base. The faculty also has access 

to the instructional server, to support program, course, and faculty web sites. 

MySite, the award-winning district and college portal (http://www1.socccd.cc.ca.us/mysite/), 

has been an extremely valuable tool for helping students, faculty, and staff to access college 

technology resources. Through MySite, students access student email, Blackboard (the 

standardized DE platform), register for classes, view grades, make counseling appointments, 

apply for financial aid, and ask questions using the Knowledge Base system. In addition, 



faculty uses MySite to access current class rosters, respond to student email, submit grades, 

among other services. 

The college web site, whose structure and maintenance is governed by the Web-Site 

Committee and facilitated by the Webmaster, is a valuable work tool for college staff. Current 

and prospective students use the college web site for many program and service information 

needs. The Web-Site Committee has not been active since spring 2002. 

The district Information Technology Department addresses districtwide technology issues 

that affect both colleges. One such large districtwide project is to replace the outdated 

telephone systems of both colleges with one unified system. The Telephone Procurement 

Committee (TPC) was given the charge of surveying staff, analyzing, and evaluating 

telephony options. In March 2004, the BOT approved the committee’s recommendation for 

the service vendor. Installation is planned to take place July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. 

In 2002 the Board of Trustees requested an informational report on technology use at both 

colleges. The college conducted its Technology Usage Survey in spring 2002 (3.27). In April 

2004, the BOT requested an additional report on the state of the college’s technology. 

Appraisal 

College information technology services are supported to the extent possible by the ITC and 

district IT. Computer labs campuswide and individual staff technology needs (hardware, 

software, training) do not always receive timely service given the shortage of technical 

support staff and the large number of workstations throughout campus. In addition, as 

college staff creates technology solutions to improve student services and programs, a 

realistic assessment of what it takes to maintain, support, and develop the college technology 

infrastructure has not been done. 

The college web site is useful for college employees who are familiar with the college’s 

internal organization. It is not, however, intuitive for current and prospective students 

and needs to be improved. Given the importance of the college web site as the portal to 

the college, it must be continually assessed and developed to maintain its relevance and 

usefulness to all constituencies. The Web-Site Committee must be reactivated to facilitate this 

function. 

The results of the Technology Usage Survey were submitted to the BOT but it is unclear how 

or if the findings will be used. 


• The ITC will conduct a program review within the next year in order to evaluate the 

effectiveness of its services. 

• The college through its Web-Site Committee will analyze the functionality of the 

college web site and make recommendations for improvement. 

160 



• The college will analyze its technology needs, including total cost of ownership, 

maintenance and upgrades, for faculty and staff, and make appropriate budget 

recommendations. 

• The college will analyze the effectiveness of the Web-Site committee and make 

recommendations for improvements. 

b. The institution provides quality training in the effective application of its 

Description 

information technology to students and personnel. 

The ITC offers professional development for faculty and staff through training and 

workshops. Since its inception, more than 1,700 faculty and staff have participated in these 

classes. The ITC has 14 workstations in its training facility that is available to faculty and 

staff throughout the week. Workshops are offered each semester in web design, digital 

photography, Blackboard, email and MS Office, etc. During the summer, the ITC offers a 

two-week computer boot camp with intensive training in a variety of computer applications. 

The ITC is also used as a training center for district software deployment. The current 

training and workshop schedule is available at http://www.saddleback.edu/itc/classes.html. 

The ITC also offers individualized instruction for staff upon request. 

Appraisal 

ITC workshops are well attended and have received positive feedback from faculty and 

staff. However, there are staff members whose computing skills are inadequate to use 

college technology resources and who do not choose to attend these workshops in order to 

improve instruction. In addition, as more faculty and staff increase their use of technology 

for instruction and support services, the ITC staff may be unable to meet all these 

expanding needs. Additional support is necessary to assist faculty, particularly in the area of 

instructional design, but recruitment efforts for this new position have not been successful in 

part because the position offered is a part-time assignment. 

The college offers many credit courses in hard- and software and yet there are no training 

programs or workshops available for students in the use of email, MySite, or Blackboard. 

Although more and more students enter college with advanced computer skills, there are 

many students, particularly returning and limited-English language students, who require 

assistance to access basic instructional and student services resources. Although the library 

and the Interdisciplinary Computer Center (ICC) provide some instruction to students for 

email, Blackboard, and the basics of MS Office, many students require additional support. 

Instructors, especially those who teach online courses, often have to spend considerable time 

working with students on these technical skills, which takes away from time spent on course 

content. 




• The ITC will promote its training program to encourage all faculty and staff who need 

these services to participate in the program. 

• The college will develop a training program for students in the use of MySite, 

Blackboard, and MS Office basics. 

• The college will evaluate the unsuccessful attempt to hire an instructional designer 

and make necessary adjustments to the position. 

c. The institution systematically plans, acquires, maintains, and upgrades or 

Description 

replaces technology infrastructure and equipment to meet institutional needs. 

Saddleback College made an immediate and long-term commitment to a consistent use of 

appropriate technology throughout the college. It views new information technology as not 

merely an option or an enhancement to traditional instructional delivery but as a process that 

may replace some methods of information delivery and use with more efficient and effective 

means of sharing, storing, analyzing, and retrieving information. 

The college participates in the Telecommunications and Technology Infrastructure Program 

(TTIP, 3.28). In this plan, the state has set baseline benchmarks for maintaining technology 

standards in such areas as library automation (upgraded in January 2004), electronic 

resources, video conferencing, telecommunications, and technology training, as well as in 

determining the total cost of ownership. Saddleback College has made an effort to reach 

these standards in all areas. 

The Technology Committee’s three-year Technology Plan (3.26) is used as a resource when 

the College Budget Committee makes budget allocations in the fall. 

Appraisal 

Beginning in 1999, the college made great strides toward TTIP benchmarks. Within the last 

two years, however, TTIP funding has been greatly reduced, hampering the college’s ability 

to make steady progress. In the spring of 2004, some funds were released by the college for 

technology support, but were insufficient to meet all college needs. For example, under the 

Technology Plan computer workstations were to be replaced every three years in the areas 

requiring the latest technology and replaced as often as possible in all other areas through 

trickle-down workstations. Under this system, no college computer hardware would be older 

than three-five years. This goal has not been met. Some faculty members have computers 

that are seven years old. These workstations (including those in the library and the ICC) are 

inadequate to perform many of the necessary functions available through college technology 

services. In addition, many associate faculty do not have access to any computing equipment 

for basic instructional needs. Moreover, given the variety of computer ages on campus, 

162 



many different operating software platforms are used. This makes it more difficult to provide 

effective support. 


• The college will complete the replacement of the outdated Pentium I computers. 

• The college will complete deployment of the IMC and CAD labs with new computers 

and transfer the existing computers to other high-use areas such as the library, ICC, 

and Career Center. 

• To the extent possible, the college will ensure that all faculty members have access to 

computers that are adequate for their instructional needs. 

d. The distribution and utilization of technology resources support the 

development, maintenance, and enhancement of its programs and services. 

Description 

Divisions apply for funding through the Technology Committee, a shared governance group. 

The committee makes decisions based on priorities established in the Technology Plan. 

In the library building, there are 75 workstations on the second floor and 35 in the ICC 

available to any student or community member. The college supports 13 computer labs 

that serve students in the academic divisions, e.g., Reading, Writing, Language, Computer 

Science, Chemistry, Computer Information Management, CAD-CAM, Health Sciences, and 

Counseling. 

Appraisal 

All full-time faculty and staff have access to technology resources to meet their work 

requirements. Associate Faculty has inadequate access to technology resources. Many 

feel that the Technology Committee operates with an incomplete understanding of the 

instructional technology needs across campus. With the increase of technology resources 

available to faculty for developing instructional materials (PowerPoint, Dreamweaver, 

Blackboard, and PhotoShop) and students through the instructional labs, the number of 

technicians to meet all service needs has not kept pace with the growth in demand. 

Moreover, classrooms that are used by a several divisions are not adequately equipped with 

the hardware needed to utilize the new software programs available. Currently, 26 percent of 

classrooms have permanent computer projection systems. 


• The Technology Committee will review and revise its understanding of collegewide 

instructional technology needs. 



• The college will analyze the needs of faculty for instructional technology support and 

will devise a realistic plan for ensuring adequate support. 

• The college will install a projection system in every appropriate classroom. 

2. Technology planning is integrated with institutional planning. The institution 

systematically assesses the effective use of technology resources and uses the results 

of evaluation as the basis for improvement. 

Description 

The Technology Committee developed the Technology Plan (3.26) to align with the college 

and district’s mission and goals of providing access to learning opportunities and promoting 

student success. Beginning in 2002, the district sought to expand the distance education 

program, and in response, Saddleback College has greatly expanded its online course 

offerings (See St. 2.A.2.d). Goal #3 of the Goals Action Plan addresses increasing DE 

enrollment, improved retention of DE students, and expansion of hybrid courses (3.14). 

Appraisal 

While the planning infrastructure is in place and all components are integrated in the model 

(with cycles of evaluation and improvement), in practice there has been no systematic 

attempt to assess the effective use of technology resources on campus. The Board of Trustees 

requested a Technology Usage Survey in 2002 but it is unclear how/if the findings will be 

used. The Technology Committee is planning to conduct an online survey to evaluate the 

effectiveness of current resources and programs. Thus far, examples of online surveys have 

been gathered and technical requirements for disseminating the survey are being examined. 


• The college will conduct a comprehensive survey of faculty and staff regarding 

current technology use of resources and support, which also will measure the use and 

effectiveness of college technology resources. 

164 



D. Financial Resources 

Financial resources are sufficient to support student learning programs and services 

and to improve institutional effectiveness. The distribution of resources supports the 

development, maintenance, and enhancement of programs and services. The institution 

plans and manages its financial affairs with integrity and in a manner that ensures 

financial stability. The level of financial resources provides a reasonable expectation 

of both short-term and long-term financial solvency. Financial resource planning is 

integrated with institutional planning. 

1. The institution relies upon its mission and goals as the foundation for financial 

planning. 

a. Financial planning is integrated with and supports all institutional planning. 

Description 

The scope of institutional planning is broad and takes place in many venues. The College 

Planning Council reviews and updates SD 2000, the institution’s strategic plan (3.17). A 

draft of SD 2000 is disseminated to shared governance groups and discussed collegewide, 

resulting in a strategic plan that provides overall direction for resource allocation. The 

college has developed plans for faculty and classified hiring, technology and equipment 

needs, enrollment management, facilities, special projects, marketing, distance education, 

and emerging needs. From a long-term perspective, fiscal plans are in place for retirement of 

long-term debt and unfunded retiree health and welfare liability. 

The Board of Trustees, district, and college administration set district and college goals, 

and these are revised and updated annually. These goals are used as a guide for resource 

allocation. The Budget Committee reviews the state, district, and college budgets from 

a long-term perspective in conjunction with college plans and goals, before making any 

resource allocation decisions. The primary responsibility of the Budget Committee is 

to ensure fiscal stability. The committee assesses income and expenditure patterns and 

determines if new expenditures can be added to the budget. 

Appraisal 

The SOCCCD receives property tax revenue in excess of the state program based funding 

formula, but the college budget model that is used funds the colleges through the programbased 

funding formula. The BOT allocates remaining basic aid dollars for one-time priority 

projects. There is a college-prioritized list for use of these basic funds, although some faculty, 

staff, administrators, and most recently BOT members, have expressed concern about the 



process whereby college basic aid requests are presented to the BOT for consideration. At the 

April 2004 BOT meeting, a report was requested to include the college’s recommendations 

for this process. 

In summer 2003, a new planning process was implemented as described in Standard I. The 

college has not fully integrated this new process with SD 2000 resulting in confusion. This 

confusion makes it difficult for the college to integrate planning with resource allocation. In 

addition, SD2000 is not sufficiently detailed, does not define college priorities with accuracy, 

and therefore does not provide clear guidelines for specific resource allocation. The Budget 

Committee has expressed frustration at this and has had to defer to individual plans (e.g., 

Instructional Equipment and Technology) to recommend resource allocation. Furthermore, 

the Budget Committee on occasion has set funds aside for new initiatives but these funds 

have gone unused for a variety of reasons. 

College resource allocation is a complex and unpredictable process. State budget woes add 

to this unpredictability. The cost of employee benefits has been increasing significantly. The 

classified staff finally settled its collective bargaining negotiation while the faculty contract 

remains unresolved. The uncertainty and timing of these major issues make comprehensive 

budget planning extremely challenging. 

Partnership for Excellence (PFE) funds brought additional dollars to the college in recent 

years. The Budget Committee adopted a policy at the outset to utilize no more than 65% of 

PFE funds for ongoing expenditures such as salaries and benefits. Many valuable college 

projects received funding through PFE but these funds were drastically reduced in 2003. The 

PFE funds currently received are used solely to pay for the salaries and benefits of faculty 

and staff hired through this program in previous years. It is unfortunate that many valuable 

college programs set up using PFE funds have been discontinued because the college could 

not afford to institutionalize them. 

In spring 2003, in response to state budget difficulties, the college embarked on a severe 

budget reduction process. Normal budget and planning processes were postponed, and focus 

groups, open to all college constituents, worked to identify cost cutting measures. This 

successful process resulted in significant budget reductions and a balanced college budget, 

although it did affect the operation of college services such as library hours and some student 

services. The college still faces budget challenges. 

There is a widespread perception that there is no definitive, institutionalized plan that guides 

resource allocation. In EV 2003, 31 percent of FTO disagree and 55 percent of FTO have no 

opinion about whether or not the college uses SD 2000 as a guide for decision-making (3.35). 


• The College Planning Council will develop a detailed and comprehensive model that 

will integrate planning with resource allocation. The new model will also incorporate 

dissemination of the new plan to the entire college community. 

166 



b. Institutional planning reflects realistic assessment of financial resource 

availability, development of financial resources, partnerships, and expenditure 

requirements. 

Description 

District resources are allocated to the college based on the state program based funding 

formula with modifications that account for local needs. Allocations are predominantly 

revenue based and calculated primarily on full-time equivalent students (FTES). The college 

receives additional funds for categorical programs, collects local fees for parking, student 

materials and Community Education, and the College Foundation and Associated Student 

Government. 

The District Resource Allocation Council (DRAC) is a shared governance entity that 

determines how program based funding allocations will be distributed to the colleges and 

district. Although there is an approved allocation process, annual updates and changes 

affect the college budget allocation. The Budget Committee meets early in the fall to assess 

available resources and needs (based on previously developed plans) and allocates resources. 

The college budgets expenditures based on income projections taking into account growth 

requirements, negotiated collective bargaining agreements, and all other items that affect 

expenditures. Categorical programs are budgeted conservatively, at a minimum guaranteed 

level, until a final state allocation is provided. Locally funded programs also are budgeted 

conservatively with the goal of having an ending balance in preference to an income 

shortfall. 

Appraisal 

College budget planning is challenging because actual income is not known until the state 

and district complete their budget deliberations. Often the college does not receive actual 

allocations for the upcoming year until after the deadline for input of the final budget in July. 

This creates an atmosphere of uncertainty that forces the college to budget conservatively 

to ensure a balanced budget. This constant change, experienced by all community colleges, 

in income and expenditures, hampers the college’s ability to increase funding for existing 

programs and services, making it all but impossible to develop new programs. 

Item 78 of the SSS 2003 asked students whether college services are adequately funded to 

provide quality education (3.36). Student responses reveal a significant gap (1.58) between 

the importance of sufficient funding and student satisfaction. 


• The college will investigate setting aside some funds for developing new programs 

and improving existing ones with established procedures for the allocation of these 

funds. Once the fund is established, information about the availability of these funds 

will be widely disseminated. 



c. When making short-range financial plans, the institution considers its longrange 

financial priorities to assure financial stability. The institution clearly 

identifies and plans for payment of liabilities and future obligations. 

Description 

The Board of Trustees adopted budget development guidelines that ensure prudent use 

of public resources and promote financial strength and stability to maximize educational 

opportunities for students. Within these guidelines, the board established the principles for 

payment of liabilities and future obligations to include: 

• A plan to retire Certificates of Participation debt by June 1, 2008; 

• Criteria for acquiring future long term debt; 

• A commitment to fund the district’s retiree benefit obligations in accordance with 

actuarial determined amounts; 

• Criteria for use of future basic aid receipts and one-time cost savings. 

The BOT reviews and reaffirms the Budget Development Guidelines annually as it 

establishes annual goals. The District Resource Allocation Council (DRAC), representative 

of shared governance groups from both colleges and district services, applies these 

guidelines. 

Current year debt retirement payment and the retiree benefit obligation are fully funded by 

the colleges. These line items are funded as a priority during college budget development. 

The college Budget Committee, during its budget deliberations, focuses on long-range 

financial obligations, compares ongoing income to ongoing expenditures, and uses any 

additional revenues for one-time expenditures. The college has made several long-range 

planning decisions. Two recent examples of this long-range planning are the co-generation 

project and allocation of Partnership for Excellence funds. 

In response to unpredictable utility rates and need to replace the college boilers (due 

to emission regulations), the college embarked on a co-generation project. The college 

leveraged scheduled maintenance funds (approx $1.8 M), which were matched 50/50 from 

college funds and designated $1.5 M of the prior year ending balance to pay down the 

project. This resulted in smaller debt payments and released funds (that would have paid for 

utilities budgets) for other college expenditures. The state originally allocated Partnership 

for Excellence (PFE) funds as an ongoing program, but PFE funds were allocated outside 

of the base allocation and COLA would not be adjusted annually. In response, the Budget 

Committee imposed a rule that no more that 65 percent of PFE funds would be spent on 

ongoing costs. 

Appraisal 

These planning incentives have served the college well by saving the college approximately 

$350,000 per year. The college meets the standard. 

168 




N/A 

d. The institution clearly defines and follows its guidelines and processes for 

financial planning and budget development, with all constituencies having 

appropriate opportunities to participate in the development of institutional 

plans and budgets. 

Description 

Budget development is guided by state requirements for filing preliminary and final budgets. 

Annual budget development guidelines are revised each year and published early in the 

development process. The College Planning Council is open to all college constituencies 

and the Budget Committee represents administrators, faculty, classified staff, and students. 

Ongoing budget and planning updates are provided in President’s Council, attended by 

all deans and managers as well as representatives from faculty, staff, and students. Budget 

presentations are made occasionally during in-service week, and to representative groups, 

such as the Academic Senate or Associated Student Government, on an as-needed basis. 

The college Budget Office issues memos and emails at each milestone indicating what is 

included in budgets, what is required, and deadlines. Once the Budget Committee makes 

its recommendations for resource allocation to the college president, President’s Council 

discusses and approves the Budget Committee’s recommendations. President’s Council has 

the authority to adjust these recommendations but this is rarely done. 

Appraisal 

The college has taken positive steps to make the budgeting process a transparent one with 

the involvement of all college constituencies in budget decisions. While these guidelines and 

processes are in place, faculty and classified staff perceive that their role is limited in these 

important decisions. This perception is strengthened by an apparent lack of dissemination of 

information about budgeting in general. 

Faculty and staff perceive that they do not have opportunities to participate in the college 

budget process. Item 33 in the EV 2003 asked staff about the incorporation of the shared 

governance process into college budget planning decisions and 30 percent of the FTO 

group had no opinion and 49 percent of this same group disagreed that shared governance 

characterized the college budget process (3.35). Similarly, student responses to item 79 

of the SSS 2003 reveal a 1.15 gap between perceived importance and satisfaction about 

opportunities to participate in college decisions (3.36). One possible explanation for these 

perceptions may be that although opportunities to participate are available, faculty and staff 

do not feel their participation is valuable given the complexity of the budgeting process and 



the lack of flexibility that characterizes the college budget reality. This may discourage more 

active participation in the Budget Committee. 

Recently, there has been concern about decisions made by the Technology and Instructional 

Equipment committees. This is partly due to an overall lack of funding in these crucial 

areas. This year, for example, the Instructional Equipment Committee had only $300,000 

to allocate and $1.6 M in requests from the various departments and divisions. The requests 

are prioritized for funding by the committee but many requests are left unfunded due to the 

limited resources. Some faculty and staff have expressed concern that funding seems to favor 

the same programs year after year. 


• The college will seek to set up structures and mechanisms that encourage the active 

participation of more faculty, staff, and students in all committees relating to budget 

allocations. 

• The Academic Senate will encourage faculty to participate actively in all committees 

related to budget allocation. 

• The college will form a task force to look at committee composition and the 

possibility of instituting a philosophy of rotating chairs for committees that allocate 

funds (e.g., Technology and Instructional Equipment). 

2. To assure the financial integrity of the institution and responsible use of financial 

resources, the financial management system has appropriate control mechanisms 

and widely disseminates dependable and timely information for sound financial 

decision making. 

a. Financial documents, including the budget and independent audit, reflect 

appropriate allocation and use of financial resources to support student learning 

programs and services. Institutional responses to external audit findings are 

comprehensive, timely, and communicated appropriately. 

Description 

The district allocates resources and the college makes decisions regarding expenditures 

focusing on student learning programs and services. The college manages its operations 

within allocations and routinely ends the fiscal year with a positive balance. This gives the 

college a level of autonomy regarding programs and services offered to students. 

Annual external audit findings are disseminated to the appropriate administrator for response. 

During the November Board of Trustees meeting, the district reports on audit issues and 

170 



responses and the status of prior year findings. Budgets are adopted within specified timelines 

and reflect allocations based on the constrained funding mechanism for community colleges. 

Appraisal 

College administration takes audit findings seriously and responds appropriately and in a 

timely manner. This is evidenced in the annual audit reports (3.29, 3.30). The college meets 

the standard. 


N/A 

b. Appropriate financial information is provided throughout the institution. 

Description 

The financial management system consists of computerized and manual control mechanisms. 

The computerized system is well established and can be accessed by all college divisions and 

units for reference. Financial information is distributed using a variety of methods ranging 

from collegewide emails to collegewide meetings. 

The district accounting software was upgraded in 1998. This software allows for online 

creation and approval of purchase requisitions and budget transfers. In 2003 the college 

provided access to every staff member who submits requisitions or makes budget transfers. 

This access has improved control mechanisms and dissemination of information. College 

users now have easy access to accounts, can generate detailed reports, and can make online 

requisitions and budget transfers resulting in accurate account balance information. 

Division deans and directors are given full authority to distribute their area allocation. 

There is full knowledge of account allocations throughout the budget development 

process. Throughout the year, financial information is discussed in the Budget Committee 

and presented to all shared governance groups. The intent is that shared governance 

representatives will disseminate budget information with their respective groups. 

Occasionally collegewide meetings are held and college administration makes reports to 

individual divisions. The deputy chancellor provides monthly and quarterly financial status 

reports for each college and the district (3.29). 

Audit results are usually specific and are shared on a detailed level with those departments 

that are affected. Their input is solicited for response and correction. There is a general report 

to President’s Council regarding the audit outcome. The audit is submitted to the board each 

year and becomes public information. 

Appraisal 

Although these information dissemination structures are in place, they may not function 

as intended because financial information apparently is not being disseminated evenly 



throughout the college. Item 33 of the EV 2003 shows that 49 percent of FTO respondents 

disagreed that shared governance is incorporated into budget planning allocations (3.35). An 

additional 33 percent had no opinion. 


• The college administration will work with all constituencies to ensure that budget 

information is disseminated widely. 

c. The institution has sufficient cash flow and reserves to maintain stability, 

strategies for appropriate risk management, and realistic plans to meet financial 

emergencies and unforeseen occurrences. 

Description 

The BOT has developed guidelines that clearly state its commitment to long-term financial 

strength and stability. The Budget Development Guidelines (3.31) provide clear direction for 

maintaining adequate reserves and ensure that the district does not allocate basic aid funds 

for ongoing operational needs. The Budget Development Guidelines require the district 

budget to include a general fund reserve for economic uncertainties of no less than 6.5 

percent of projected unrestricted revenue. This reserve provides the district with sufficient 

funds to meet potential financial emergencies. The reserve for economic uncertainties is 

assessed from program based funding revenue at 6.5 percent and retained at the district level. 

All basic aid funds are retained by the district for one-time expenditures. 

The district and colleges have recently developed safety action plans designed to reduce 

unsafe working conditions in the district and colleges. The chancellor, deputy chancellor, and 

college presidents have developed plans and programs to make safety a priority throughout 

the district. The district also carries adequate insurance programs to protect district property. 

These plans and programs will help to manage the risk for unforeseen occurrences. 

Whenever possible, the college attempts to maintain a small contingency fund of 

approximately $250,000. The district contingency fund protects the college from unforeseen 

expenditures. 

Appraisal 

In 1997 the SOCCCD was on the state chancellor’s watch list. Since then, the financial 

stability of the district has improved significantly. Declining state revenues will prove to be 

a challenge in the future because the state may attempt to capture local property tax dollars 

from basic aid districts. Given this, district budgets are traditionally developed using the most 

conservative estimates ensuring that expenditures do not exceed revenues and district ending 

balances have been extremely healthy. 

In 1998, the Community Education program, which is a self-supporting fee-for-service 

college program, was experiencing financial difficulties. In addition, the SOCCCD had deficit 

172 



spent in three of the prior four years. Due to timely and appropriate responses by the college 

and district, Community Education is now a thriving program and has provided financial 

support to the college. Since 1998, the fiscal health of the district has improved significantly 

so that district ending balance currently amounts to more than $80 M. 

Members of the college community have expressed concern that the large district ending 

balance generated in part by basic aid perhaps should be used to alleviate some of the 

financial burdens placed on the colleges. Additional information must be provided to all 

constituencies regarding the use of these basic aid funds so that misperceptions can be 

addressed. 

There are no established procedures for accessing the district’s contingency funds. 


• The college will work with the district to establish procedures to access the district’s 

contingency fund. 

d. The institution practices effective oversight of finances, including management 

of financial aid, grants, externally funded programs, contractual relationships, 

auxiliary organizations or foundations, and institutional investments and assets. 

Description 

The SOCCCD Business Office maintains comprehensive financial records of all district 

fiscal transactions, including financial aid, grants, externally funded programs, contractual 

relationships, and auxiliary organizations, e.g., Associated Student Government and the 

College Foundation. Written contracts between the district and outside vendors are reviewed 

by legal counsel, signed only by the deputy chancellor or designee, and approved by the 

Board of Trustees. 

The college Budget Office monitors all aspects of the college budget. The Budget Office 

determines the online approval sequence for requisition approvals and reviews and 

approves all budget transfers, expenditure transfers, budget and increases/decreases, and 

provides assistance to college personnel. The approval mechanisms allow 100 percent 

control by staff responsible for the account. Once approved by the college Budget Office, 

all accounting transactions are performed in the district Business Office. This office has 

oversight responsibilities for all financial transactions to ensure that they are recorded and in 

accordance with Title 5 Section 59011 of the California Code of Regulations (3.32). 

Institutional investments are made in accordance with the district’s established investment 

policy. Quarterly investment reports are presented to the BOT during regularly scheduled 

public meetings. 

The Saddleback College Foundation fiscal practices are approved and implemented by the 

Saddleback College Foundation Board and it is the responsibility of the Foundation Director 



to adhere to these policies. Foundation expenditures follow a strict approval process. The 

foundation director approves all purchases and deposits. The foundation issues monthly 

financial reports to its board, the college, and district. 

The Associated Student Government (ASG) presents its budget to the BOT annually, college 

administration approves all ASG transactions, and the district Business Office provides 

oversight. 

Financial information relating to these practices and procedures are well documented, easily 

available, and regularly reviewed. 

Appraisal 

Review by external agencies show that the system of fiscal oversight and financial 

management is strong. The college meets the standard. 


N/A 

e. All financial resources, including those from auxiliary activities, fund-raising 

efforts, and grants are used with integrity in a manner consistent with the 

mission and goals of the institution. 

Description 

In addition to the unrestricted general fund allocation, the college receives moneys for 

restricted categorical programs, from grants, and fund-raising activities. 

Income and expenditure budgets for restricted categorical programs are accounted for 

individually within the college budget. The college follows a process that ensures budgets 

reflect certified allocations. These restricted categorical accounts are audited through the 

annual district audit process and all programs are audited by state funding agencies. 

Funds raised through the College Foundation are deposited into the appropriate foundation 

activity fund and are prohibited from deposit into a non-audited account. Foundation 

accounts are audited annually through the district audit. 

Appraisal 

College financial resources are used with integrity and in a manner that helps meet college 

goals. The college meets the standard. 


N/A 

174 



f. Contractual agreements with external entities are consistent with the mission 

and goals of the institution, governed by institutional policies, and contain 

appropriate provisions to maintain the integrity of the institution. 5 

Description 

The district and the college enter into contractual agreements with external entities. 

Examples of these are 1) independent contractors, 2) grants and contracts, 3) facility and 

other rental agreements, and 4) educational service agreements with local business and 

industry. Institutional procedures are followed before entering into a contract with any 

third party. These procedures define the college process and the approval process at the 

deputy chancellor and board level (3.33, 3.34). The Deputy Chancellor or designee signs all 

contracts. 

Appraisal 

All contractual agreements adhere to the processes established by the district. The college 

meets the standard. 


N/A 

g. The institution regularly evaluates its financial management processes, and the 

results of the evaluation are used to improve financial management systems. 

Description 

The college receives an annual external audit that provides feedback on processes and 

procedures (3.29). Audit findings are taken very seriously and procedural changes are made 

to eliminate any weaknesses that are identified. College financial management processes and 

procedures are continually reviewed and revised. Committees that allocate funds also revise 

their processes and procedures based on prior year experience and feedback. In fall 2002 the 

district hired a “process” consultant who worked with college staff to evaluate the purchase 

order approval process. 

Appraisal 

There were no material weaknesses identified in the 2003 audit finding and the report shows 

that previous recommendations were fully implemented. The entire purchase order approval 

process was re-vamped and simplified in 2003. This was the result of an extensive effort that 

involved input and discussion among college constituents, district staff, and senior college 

administrators. The college meets this standard. 

5 

Contractual Relationships with Non-Regionally Accredited Organizations 




N/A 

3. The institution systematically assesses the effective use of financial resources and 

uses the results of the evaluation as the basis for improvement. 

Description 

Evaluation of financial processes is continuous and occurs at all planning levels. College 

committees, President’s Council, and senior administrators provide feedback that is used to 

revise or refine process to ensure the effective use of financial resources. A similar process 

takes place in the District Resource Allocation Council. 

Appraisal 

This system of regular evaluation of processes is effective and leads to improved planning 

and allocation within the limits of the college budget. As a result of these ongoing 

evaluations of processes, the Budget Committee revised the allocation timeline for equipment 

and technology purchases, based upon feedback from members of the college community. 

The process for prioritization of classified hires/replacements was also revised in response to 

previous dissatisfaction with the outcome. 

While the college is successful in this area, SD 2000 (3.17) must be revised to consider 

district and administrative goals and to provide concrete recommendations regarding 

prioritization of resource allocation. 


• The college will review and revise SD 2000 on a regular basis to align college and 

district goals so it can provide effective direction for resource allocation. 

176 



References 

3.1 Board Policy 4011.1, Full-Time Faculty Hiring (2003) 

3.2 Academic Employees Hiring Policy (1994) 

3.3 Board Policy 4090.1, Evaluation of Administrators and Classified Leadership 

(1999) 

3.4 Academic Employment Master Agreement, 2000-2002 

3.5 CSEA Contract, July 1, 2002 - June 30, 2005 

3.6 Deans’ Workload Survey 

3.7 Board Policy 4309, Duties and Responsibilities of the Faculty (2003) 

3.8 Board Policy 4310, Duties and Responsibilities of the Department/Academic 

Chair (2003) 

3.9 Instructor Evaluation Report 

3.10 Faculty Code of Ethics and Professional Standards (1998) 

3.11 Board Policy 1400, Code of Ethics for Members of the Board of Trustees (2003) 

3.12 Division Instructional Workload and Support Study (Fall 2003) 

3.13 Full-Time Faculty Obligation Report (November 2003) 

3.14 SOCCCD Goals Action Plan and Progress/Final Reports (January 2004) 

3.15 Board Policy 4004.4, Equal Employment Opportunity (2004) 

3.16 Equal Employment Opportunity Expenditure and Performance Report (2002- 

2003) 


3.18 Comprehensive Planning Framework (Spring 2000) 

3.19 Enrollment Management Plan 

3.20 Educational and Facilities Master Plan (2001) 

3.21 Injury and Illness Prevention Program 

3.22 Blood Borne Pathogens Prevention Program 

3.23 Office Ergonomic Program 

3.24 Your Right to Know: Crime Awareness and Campus 

3.25 Facility Condition Assessment Report (2003) 

3.26 Saddleback College Technology Plan 

3.27 Saddleback College Technology Usage Survey Executive Summary (Spring 2002) 



3.28 The Implementation of the California Community Colleges Telecommunications 

and Technology Infrastructure Program (2001-2002) 

3.29 SOCCCD Annual Financial Report and Single Audit Report (June 2002 and June 

2003) 

3.30 Saddleback College Foundation Financial Statements and Independent Auditor’s 

Report (June 2003) 

3.31 Budget Development Guidelines (2004/05) 

3.32 Budget and Accounting Manual 

3.33 Board Policy 3001, Delegation of Authority (2003) 

3.34 Contract procedures 



178 


standard four 

2004 


Leadership and Governance 

Wendy Gordon, Faculty, Chair 

Alannah Orrison, Faculty 


Jim Wright, Administration 

The institution recognizes and utilizes the contributions of leadership throughout the 

organization for continuous improvement of the institution. Governance roles are 

designed to facilitate decisions that support student learning programs and services and 

improve institutional effectiveness, while acknowledging the designated responsibilities 

of the governing board and the chief administrator.


A. Decision-Making Roles and Processes 

The institution recognizes that ethical and effective leadership throughout the 

organization enables the institution to identify institutional values, set and achieve 

goals, learn, and improve. 

1. Institutional leaders create an environment for empowerment, innovation, and 

institutional excellence. They encourage staff, faculty, administrators, and students, 

no matter what their official titles, to take initiative in improving the practices, 

programs, and services in which they are involved. When ideas for improvement 

have policy or significant institution-wide implications, systematic participative 

processes are used to assure effective discussion, planning, and implementation. 

Description 

The college president, vice presidents, and the academic division deans use the districtapproved 

goals to define and develop college goals and plans and to establish college 

priorities, through the College Planning Council, President’s Council, and Deans’ Cabinet. 

The college provides some institutional support (reassigned time or stipends) for faculty 

participation in governance. The college president works closely with the Academic Senate in 

academic and professional matters. The Classified Senate President represents the classified 

staff in college governance matters, is a voting member of the President’s Council, and is a 

non-voting member at the Board of Trustees (BOT) meetings. 

Appraisal 

Faculty and staff perceptions about college leadership and management are positively 

reflected in the Employee Voice 2003 (EV 2003). Fifty eight percent of the full-time only 

(FTO) respondents perceive that the president inspires excellence in education. Seventy three 

percent of the FTO believe that their supervisor is a strong advocate of programs and services 

within their division/area. When asked about opportunities to participate in collegewide 

planning, the picture is less clear because one-third of FTO responses were favorable, onethird 

neutral, and one-third unfavorable (4.1). This lack of clarity may be related to the 

difficulty that most faculty members face in becoming involved in college governance in 

addition to their full-time teaching assignments. Reassigned time, with very few exceptions, 

is not an option for department and/or Academic Senate standing committee chairs. Lack 

of time seriously impacts the ability of faculty to devote attention to college governance. 

Furthermore, through the College Planning Council (CPC), several faculty, administrators, 

and staff participated actively when the CPC was new and developing the college’s planning 

culture. The CPC met regularly during 2000-2002 but participation diminished over time. 

The CPC’s last meeting was in spring 2003. 

180 

Standard Four: Leadership and Governance



• The Academic Senate will work with college and district leadership to restore 

reassigned time for department chairs and Academic Senate standing committee 

chairs. 

• The college will study the feasibility of reactivating the College Planning Council. 

2. The institution establishes and implements a written policy providing for faculty, 

staff, administrator, and student participation in decision-making processes. The 

policy specifies the manner in which individuals bring forward ideas from their 

constituencies and work together on appropriate policy, planning, and specialpurpose 

bodies. 

a. Faculty and administrators have a substantive and clearly defined role in 

institutional governance and exercise a substantial voice in institutional policies, 

planning, and budget that relate to their areas of responsibility and expertise. 

Students and staff also have established mechanisms or organizations for 

providing input into institutional decisions. 

Description 

Historically, the faculty has played an important role in institutional governance. According 

to Board Policy (BP) 2100.1, the BOT delegates appropriate responsibility to the college 

Academic Senate to provide the BOT with advice in academic and professional matters 

(4.2). The faculty and classified staff participate in shared governance processes through 

the Academic and Classified Senates, their respective committees, and through districtwide 

committees and task forces. Administrators participate in college and district governance and 

play a key role in implementing institutional policies in their areas of responsibility. 

Appraisal 

Respect and inclusiveness of all constituencies is encouraged. This is a positive attribute 

of the institution when the district does not interfere in institutional governance. Although 

participation from all constituencies in committees is adequate, the cohesiveness of decisionmaking 

is sometimes lost in a complex committee system with an unclear decision-making 

structure. 

FTO comments in the EV 2003 show that college faculty and staff performs as best it can in 

an environment that does not foster trust and respect, which results in limited participation. 

Faculty and staff feel that the tensions between the college and district lie at the heart of this 

negative environment. Although some faculty participate actively in college governance, 

Standard Four: Leadership and Governance 181


they also perceive that the district and BOT do not recognize the importance of their role and 

expertise in contributing to institutional decisions. 


• The college will establish a shared governance taskforce to streamline the committee 

structure and clarify committee roles in decision-making. 

• College leadership will work with the district to enhance the college’s autonomy in 

decision-making, thereby practicing the intent of institutional governance policies. 

b. The institution relies on faculty, its academic senate or other appropriate 

faculty structures, the curriculum committee, and academic administrators for 

recommendations about student learning programs and services. 

Description 

BP 2100.1 (4.2) defines the delegation of authority to the Academic Senate for academic and 

professional matters. The board recognizes that the Academic Senate represents the faculty 

and that its committees (e.g., Curriculum, Faculty Development, Accreditation, Program 

Review, etc.) practice collegial consultation. The Student Services Council meets twice 

monthly to provide input and share pertinent information. The recommendations of this 

group are utilized to prioritize decisions affecting student services. Academic administrators 

meet regularly in Deans’ Cabinet with the president and the vice presidents who forward 

recommendations regarding student academic programs and services to the Academic Senate, 

President’s Council, chancellor, and finally to the BOT. 

Appraisal 

“Primary reliance upon the advice and counsel of the academic senates means that the 

governing board and/or its designees will accept the recommendations of the academic 

senates regarding academic and professional matters ... and will act otherwise only in 

exceptional circumstances and for compelling reasons.” (4.2). There is ongoing disagreement 

between the BOT and the Academic Senate regarding the meaning of the word “accept.” 

The Academic Senate has offered its recommendations to the BOT on numerous occasions 

relating to academic and professional matters. In fall 1998, the Academic Senate created an 

academic freedom statement that was approved by its membership. The Academic Senate 

President brought it before the BOT for study, review and action, but no action was taken 

and the BOT cited no exceptional circumstances or compelling reasons for its refusal to act 

on the statement. Similarly, in January 2003, the Academic Senate President, in a letter to 

the BOT (4.3), expressed frustration and disappointment with the inadequate review and 

revision process of board policies 4011, 4011.1, and 4011.2 (4.4, 4.5, 4.6). These policies 

define the full-time faculty hiring process. In November 2002, the Academic Senate approved 

a resolution (4.7) regarding administrative retreat rights, which was presented to the BOT, 

182 



and included a draft policy for its consideration. In these and other cases, Academic Senate 

recommendations were refused, with the BOT citing no exceptional circumstances or 

compelling reasons for doing so. 

Despite efforts by the institutional researcher to involve faculty and staff in planning, only 33 

percent of FTO respondents in the EV 2003 agreed that they were satisfied with opportunities 

to participate in the development of programs and services and only 36 percent agreed that 

they were satisfied with the amount of opportunities available in college-wide planning. The 

reasons may relate to heavy workloads and/or an institutional culture that does not yet fully 

appreciate the importance of planning. 


• The Academic Senate and college leadership will work to encourage the BOT to 

implement Academic Senate recommendations regarding academic and professional 

matters and to provide, in writing, compelling reasons for not doing so. 

• The Academic Senate and college leadership will work to encourage faculty 

participation in college planning processes via a collegewide planning information 

campaign. 

3. Through established governance structures, processes, and practices, the governing 

board, administrators, faculty, staff, and students work together for the good 

of the institution. These processes facilitate discussion of ideas and effective 

communication among the institution’s constituencies. 

Description 

The faculty has a substantive role in institutional governance through the Academic Senate 

and its committees. Academic administrators participate in the governance process through 

the President’s Council and the Dean’s Cabinet. The Educational Services Coordinating 

Council, comprised of the vice presidents of both colleges, meet regularly with the Vice 

Chancellor for Educational Services to improve instruction and student services. The District 

Management Council (DMC) is comprised of classified management and administrators from 

the colleges and the district. The college president meets regularly with the Chancellor’s 

Executive Council and forwards administrative concerns to the chancellor and the BOT. 

There is student representation in all levels of governance: on the BOT, at President’s 

Council, at the Academic Senate and throughout the accreditation process. Minutes of these 

committees meetings are available to the college community. 

Appraisal 

While effective governance structure and processes are in place and work relatively well 

within the college, college participation in district governance needs improvement as 

evidenced in EV 2003. It is possible that lack of participation in district decision-making 



is also linked to insufficient and/or ineffective communication. The district leadership and 

management dimension in EV 2003 rated the lowest in perceived satisfaction. 


• The college will work with district leadership to improve opportunities for constituency 

participation in district meetings. 

4. The institution advocates and demonstrates honesty and integrity in its relationships 

with external agencies. It agrees to comply with Accrediting Commission standards, 

policies, and guidelines, and Commission requirements for public disclosure, self 

study and other reports, team visits, and prior approval of substantive changes. 

The institution moves expeditiously to respond to recommendations made by the 

Commission. 

Description 

Saddleback College maintains an honest and constructive working relationship with external 

agencies. The Academic Senate, supported by the college administration, takes a leadership 

role in accreditation and has presented extensive information to the campus community 

on changes to the accreditation standards, emphasizing the importance of assessment and 

ongoing institutional improvement. The Office of Research, Planning and Grants (ORPG) 

incorporated the accreditation standards into the institutional planning agenda. College 

administrators and faculty attended accreditation and assessment workshops prior to 

beginning work on the self study. Goal #6 of the 2003-2004 Goals Action Plan addresses 

support for the self study process, which both the college and district have provided (4.8). 

Appraisal 



N/A 

5. The role of leadership and the institution’s governance and decision-making 

structures and processes are regularly evaluated to assure their integrity and 

effectiveness. The institution widely communicates the results of these evaluations 

and uses them as the basis for improvement. 

184 



Description 

In 1999, the college hired its first institutional researcher and created the ORPG. This office 

provided leadership through the College Planning Council to create the Institutional Planning 

Framework and Strategic Directions 2000 (SD 2000), prepare institutional research, and 

create and analyze numerous surveys (4.9). These documents institutionalize integrated 

planning and evaluation with communication to promote institutional effectiveness (See 

Stand. I.B.4). 

The EV 2003 is the faculty and staff satisfaction and perceptions survey that was designed to 

support the self study process. Results from this survey have been widely disseminated to the 

college community and the executive summary of EV 2003 is posted in the accreditation web 

site (http://www.saddleback.edu/accreditation). 

Appraisal 

The college has institutional effectiveness plans in place but has not fully implemented them. 

Surveys are only one component of institutional effectiveness and they should be conducted 

regularly and more frequently than only during the accreditation cycle. The results from this 

and other surveys must be reviewed and appropriate recommendations integrated into college 

planning. The EV 2003 rated college leadership and management overall quite well. Onethird 

of the FTO respondents agreed, one-third was neutral, and one-third disagreed about 

the use of anecdotal and factual evidence of administrators to make planning decisions. The 

question regarding timely communication from the president fared better with 52 percent of 

FTO responding favorably and 27 percent of FTO had no opinion. 


• The college will take positive steps to implement more fully the institutional 

effectiveness plans currently in place. 

• The college will conduct an annual survey to assess the effectiveness of the 

governance and decision-making structures. The results of the survey will be analyzed 

and widely disseminated to the college community. 



B. Board and Administrative Organization 

In addition to the leadership of individuals and constituencies, institutions recognize 

the designated responsibilities of the governing board for setting policies and of the 

chief administrator for the effective operation of the institution. Multi-college districts/ 

systems clearly define the organizational roles of the district/system and the colleges. 6 

1. The institution has a governing board that is responsible for establishing policies to 

assure the quality, integrity, and effectiveness of the student learning programs and 

services and the financial stability of the institution. The governing board adheres to 

a clearly defined policy for selecting and evaluating the chief administrator for the 

college or the district/system. 

a. The governing board is an independent policy-making body that reflects the 

public interest in board activities and decisions. Once the board reaches a 

decision, it acts as a whole. It advocates for and defends the institution and 

protects it from undue influence or pressure. 

Description 

The BOT operates as an independent policy-making body within the letter of the California 

Education Code, Title 5 and the California Code of Regulations. The BOT approves 

recommendations by a majority vote. BP 1400 (4.1) is a statement of ethical behavior for 

board members that addresses conflict of interest. The board solicits input from the college 

community and from the public through established channels and regularly scheduled board 

meetings that are recorded and televised on the college’s cable television channel 39. 

Appraisal 

The EV 2003 assessed faculty and staff perceptions about district leadership and governance. 

The survey shows there is either a lack of knowledge or lack of clear information about how 

the BOT makes decisions because more than half of FTO respondents disagreed that the BOT 

uses reliable sources of information to make budgetary decisions about college programs 

and services. This inconsistency of information about how the BOT makes decisions has 

contributed to a climate of confusion and distrust between the college and district. 

6 

The Governing Board. 

186 




• The college will work with the district to improve the college faculty and staff’s 

knowledge and understanding of the board’s decision-making processes. 

b. The governing board establishes policies consistent with the mission statement 

to ensure the quality, integrity, and improvement of student learning programs 

and services and the resources necessary to support them. 

Description 

The South Orange County Community College District (SOCCCD) BOT has focused the 

6000 series (Instruction) in its Board Policy Manual on matters of curriculum, articulation, 

academic freedom, class size, textbook adoption, selection of library materials, college 

speakers, study-abroad programs, final examinations, and counseling. Portions of the 5000 

series (Students) cover accommodations for students with disabilities, student activities 

and organizations, matriculation, student newspaper, and classroom activities. Established 

BOT policies support the college in providing rigorous, high quality, degree and certificate 

curricula; remedial instruction; student services; lifelong learning opportunities; and 

community education programs. 

Appraisal 

Although the EV 2003 did not ask a general question about decision-making processes, it 

asked about budgetary decisions. More than half of the FTO respondents disagreed and more 

than 25 percent of respondents were neutral about whether the board uses reliable sources of 

information to make budgetary decisions regarding the needs of the college’s instructional 

and student services program. 


• See Planning Agenda 4.B.1.a above 

c. The governing board has ultimate responsibility for educational quality, legal 

matters, and financial integrity. 

Description 

The BOT has established policies (6000 series) consistent with California Educational Code 

requirements for effective practices that ensure the quality of instruction and preserve the 

integrity of the curriculum. Inasmuch as the board is at the head of the district, legal issues 

involving the district and colleges are the BOT’s responsibility. The District Resources 

Allocation Council (DRAC) directs the allocation of resources within the district. 



Appraisal 

As elected officials, the BOT has ultimate responsibility for all college and district matters. 

The board also has responsibility for relying on the knowledge and expertise of college 

administrators, faculty, staff, and students, to make appropriate decisions. The district 

leadership and management dimension in the EV 2003 rated the lowest among all dimensions 

because there is a strong perception (75, 82, and 84 percent) among FTO respondents that 

participatory management does not exist (4.1). 


• The college will work with the district and board to improve participatory 

management and provide appropriate opportunities for the faculty, administration, 

classified staff, and student leadership to participate in decisions that affect college 

programs and services. 

d. The institution or the governing board publishes the board bylaws and policies 

specifying the board’s size, duties, responsibilities, structure, and operating 

procedures. 

Description 

The BOT of the SOCCCD publishes a Board Policy Manual and accompanying 

Administrative Regulations. Current board policies are available online (http://www. 

socccd.cc.ca.us/ref/bpolicies/s8bpindex.htm) and paper copies are in the college library and 

administrative offices. In the bylaws, there are policies defining its membership (BP103), 

functions (BP102), authority and powers (BP101), and organization (BP105). 

Appraisal 



N/A 

e. The governing board acts in a manner consistent with its policies and bylaws. 

The board regularly evaluates its policies and practices and revises them as 

necessary. 

Description 

BP 102 (4.11) states, “Under the direction of the board, the chancellor shall be responsible 

for developing and updating the board’s policy manual. There shall be a review of the policy 

manual by the board every three years.” In 2002, the district hired a private consultant to 

188 



work with the Vice Chancellor for Educational Services to undertake the review of the Board 

Policy Manual and Administrative Regulations. Revisions to the Administrative Regulations 

are presented to the Chancellor’s Cabinet for approval, while revisions to the Board Policy 

Manual are presented to the BOT for approval. The district invited shared college governance 

groups to review and comment on policy and administrative regulation revisions. 

Appraisal 

The Board Policy Manual is reviewed and updated every three years. In the recent revisions, 

there appears to be shift of responsibility from the BOT to the chancellor. Copies of all 

superceded board policies are kept on file at the Vice Chancellor for Educational Services’ 

office. According to all college constituencies, the district invitation to shared governance 

groups to review and comment on policy and administrative regulation revisions (BP 4011, 

4011.1, 4011.2, 4091, 4309) provided only the appearance of participation because the time 

allowed for review and comment was unrealistic for faculty and staff to provide meaningful 

input (4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.12, 4.13, 4.14). Item 10 in the EV 2003 (4.1) asked if the BOT gave 

each constituency group enough time to provide feedback on districtwide decisions and 82 

percent of FTO respondents disagreed. Verbatim comments indicate that college faculty and 

staff perceive that their input is neither valued nor wanted. 


• The college will work with the chancellor to ensure that BP revisions are presented 

to shared governance groups at the beginning stages of the revision process to ensure 

meaningful and effective input. 

f. The governing board has a program for board development and new member 

orientation. It has a mechanism for providing for continuity of board 

membership and staggered terms of office. 

Description 

In 1995, new district boundaries were revised to equalize representation among BOT 

members. BP 103 defines the qualifications, election, staggered terms of office, filling of 

vacancies, and compensation for board members. (4.15) The Board of Trustees Orientation 

Manual (4.16) was last updated in 1996 and is used for new member orientation through the 

Vice Chancellor for Educational Services’ office. Since the 1998 self study, four trustee seats 

have turned over, two through elections and two by filling the vacancies through the board’s 

procedures for appointing a replacement trustee. 

Appraisal 

Procedures for filling trustee vacancies allow the BOT to make a provisional appointment 

or order an election. In the case of the most recent vacancy, faculty and staff requested the 

opportunity to be included in screening applicants for the provisional seat, but the BOT 



denied the request and made its appointment without constituency input. Faculty and staff 

challenged the provisional trustee appointment by petitioning for an election for that vacancy. 

The special election was held in March 2004, with the newest BOT member seated in April. 


• The college will recommend to the BOT that the procedures regarding provisional 

appointment for a trustee vacancy include input from college constituencies. 

g. The governing board’s self-evaluation processes for assessing board 

performance are clearly defined, implemented, and published in its policies or 

bylaws. 

Description 

The Board Policy Manual and the Administrative Regulations do not address self-evaluation 

procedures for the BOT, and there are no clearly defined self-evaluation procedures. The 

BOT, as a result, last evaluated its performance during a one-day self study workshop in May 

2003 when it hired the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, to 

facilitate their self study. 

Appraisal 

The BOT has taken great strides in committing itself to self-scrutiny. As it did last year, the 

board is participating again in a retreat for self-evaluation. During the 2003 retreat, the BOT 

considered, among others, issues of communication, board ethics, contract negotiations, 

academic freedom, and shared governance. Although the summation mentioned twenty-three 

different areas of focus, there was no written plan to incorporate these items into practice, 

nor was there any dissemination of the information to the college administration, faculty, and 

staff (4.17). The college community would welcome dissemination of this information and 

such an effort on behalf of the BOT would establish a level of trust between the district and 

the college. There is evidence that the BOT retreat for self-evaluation will become a regularly 

scheduled annual workshop. 


• The college will recommend to the BOT that it define and implement a process of 

regular self-evaluation, that it publish the procedures as a Board Policy or in the By- 

Laws, and that the summation of the annual BOT self-evaluation be shared with the 

college community. 

h. The governing board has a code of ethics that includes a clearly defined policy 

for dealing with behavior that violates its code. 

190 



Description 

BP 1400 defines a code of ethical behavior for board members. There does not appear to be a 

companion policy nor are there any written procedures for dealing with behavior that violates 

the code (4.10). 

Appraisal 

It is fortunate for the district that the board has not had to discipline any of its members. It is 

essential that a written board ethics violation procedure be developed and adopted as soon as 

possible. 


• The college will recommend to the BOT that an ethics violation procedure be 

developed and adopted. 

i. The governing board is informed about and involved in the accreditation 

process. 

Description 

The Saddleback College President and the President of the Academic Senate make formal 

reports regarding the accreditation self study to the Board of Trustees at its monthly 

meetings. Goal #6 in the SOCCCD Goals Action Plan & Progress/Final Report is a statement 

that the district will participate effectively in the completion of the accreditation self study for 

both colleges (4.8). The responsibility for achieving this goal is placed upon the Academic 

Senate, the college vice presidents, and the Vice Chancellor for Educational Services. 

Appraisal 



N/A 

j. The governing board has the responsibility for selecting and evaluating the 

district/system chief administrator (most often known as the chancellor) 

in a multi-college district/system or the college chief administrator (most 

often known as the president) in the case of a single college. The governing 

board delegates full responsibility and authority to him/her to implement 

and administer board policies without board interference and holds him/her 

accountable for the operation of the district/system or college, respectively. 



Description 

The SOCCCD Office of Human Resources has clearly written employment procedures 

for executive positions (chancellor, deputy/vice chancellor, president, and vice president) 

that define responsibility, authority, and accountability. BP 2100 gives “full authority and 

responsibility for the proper conduct of the business and educational programs of the district” 

to the chancellor (4.18). The BOT evaluates the chancellor annually. 

Appraisal 

There is no clearly defined policy for evaluation of the chancellor. BP 4090 addresses the 

evaluation of administrators and classified leadership (4.19). Evaluation forms for the deputy/ 

vice chancellors, president, and all college administrators are available online. 


• The college will recommend to the district that it develop a policy for evaluation of 

the chancellor and that the policy and evaluation form be available to the public. 

k. In multi-college districts/systems, the governing board establishes a clearly 

defined policy for selecting and evaluating the presidents of the colleges. 

Description 

The SOCCCD Office of Human Resources has clearly written employment procedures for all 

executive positions including the college presidents. The chancellor evaluates the president 

annually (4.20). 

Appraisal 

There is no clearly defined policy or written procedure for evaluation of the college president 

but the evaluation form is available online. 


• The college will recommend to the district that the policy for evaluating the president 

be defined, approved, and made available to the public. 

2. The president has primary responsibility for the quality of the institution he/she 

leads. He/she provides effective leadership in planning, organizing, budgeting, 

selecting and developing personnel, and assessing institutional effectiveness. 

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a. The president plans, oversees, and evaluates an administrative structure 

organized and staffed to reflect the institution’s purposes, size, and complexity. 

He/she delegates authority to administrators and others consistent with their 

responsibilities, as appropriate. 

Description 

The president works through and with the college administrators to ensure that the college 

is managed efficiently and effectively, adhering to its stated mission. The president utilizes 

numerous approaches to ensure effective communication through campuswide meetings 

and email broadcasts. The president works with the President’s Council, Deans’ Cabinet, 

Academic Senate, Faculty Association, Classified Senate, Student Services Council, 

California State Employees Association (CSEA), Police Officers Association, and the 

Associated Student Government (ASG) using a variety of committees and task forces to 

support the mission and goals of the college. Representatives from the constituent groups 

report to their areas and bring information back to committees where recommendations and/ 

or decisions are made. These decisions are presented to President’s Council for ratification. 

President’s Council is made up of campuswide representatives, including the vice presidents, 

deans, faculty and classified bargaining units, presidents of the academic and classified 

senates, and student government, and classified leadership. Deans’ Cabinet meets regularly 

and is chaired by the Vice President for Instruction. Instructional divisions meet monthly, 

and minutes from these meetings are provided to the college president, vice presidents, and 

district administration. 

In summer 1997, the districtwide reorganization reduced the total number of deans from 

ten to eight. Since that time, two assistant deans have been added to aid with supervision of 

two large, diverse divisions. The Vice Chancellor for Educational Services and the two vice 

presidents have worked to document the colleges’ organizational and reporting structures. 

Appraisal 

A working structure is in place for delegation of authority from the president to college 

administrators. Since the 1997 division reorganization, eight deans have responsibility for 

larger organizational units. Administrators of instructional and student services programs 

often are unable to carry out creative management activities due to substantially heavier 

workloads. In 2002, the institutional researchers, the presidents and one dean from each 

college analyzed deans’ workload districtwide. The ORPG produced an Executive Summary 

of this research (4.21). College administrators discussed results but no recommendations 

were formulated from this workload study. 




• The college will formulate recommendations based upon the data available in the 

Deans’ Workload Survey and present them to the district and BOT for its committed 

and actionable consideration. 

b. The president guides institutional improvement of the teaching and learning 

environment by the following: 

• establishing a collegial process that sets values, goals, and priorities; 

• ensuring that evaluation and planning rely on high quality research and 

analysis on external and internal conditions; 

• ensuring that educational planning is integrated with resource planning 

and distribution to achieve student learning outcomes; and 

• establishing procedures to evaluate overall institutional planning and 

implementation efforts. 

Description 

In 1999, the SOCCCD (with college input) established research and planning offices at 

each college. The ORPG was created in response to a recommendation from the accrediting 

commission. The ORPG reported directly to the college president and its director oversaw 

research, collection, and data analysis regarding all aspects of the college and its students. 

The ORPG director also facilitated the College Planning Council, which developed the 

college’s Comprehensive Planning Framework, the planning infrastructure, and Strategic 

Directions 2000 (SD 2000), the college’s strategic plan (4.9). In fall 2003, the district and 

college presidents decided to centralize research and planning at the district level and to 

restructure the ORPG. Currently the college research analyst provides all college research 

support until the district researcher comes on board and college research and planning needs 

are re-examined. 

Appraisal 

Responses to item 21 in the EV 2003 revealed that one-third of FTO respondents agreed 

that the college administration used a combination of factual and anecdotal information to 

make planning decisions (4.1). One-third disagreed and one-third remained neutral. This is a 

concern because the responses point to either a lack of understanding or a lack of information 

about how the college makes planning decisions. 

The institutional researcher facilitated the development of the college’s planning 

infrastructure but integrated planning is not yet fully operational. As college leadership 

incorporates these plans into daily routines, the college will have the ability to coordinate 

194 



resource planning with program reviews and student needs, resulting in greater institutional 

effectiveness. 


• See Standard I.B.3-7 planning agendas. 

c. The president assures the implementation of statutes, regulations, and governing 

board policies and assures that institutional practices are consistent with 

institutional mission and policies. 

Description 

The president attends the meetings of the BOT, the Chancellor’s Executive Council, the 

Chancellor’s Cabinet, and the District Management Council to ensure that the college 

mission is consistent with that of the district and that the college’s institutional practices are 

consistent with both the college and district missions. The written goals and objectives of all 

college administrators, including the president, are reviewed and approved by the chancellor. 

Appraisal 

The EV 2003 revealed that 55 percent of FTO respondents perceive that the president 

makes decisions that are consistent with the mission of the college (4.1). This perception 

applies to the president’s adherence to relevant statutes, regulations, and board policies. 

The survey shows that the overall perception of respondents about college administrators 

is that they work hard and well in difficult times. Attention to fostering trust and improving 

communication would improve college climate. 


• The college will focus on improving communication regarding the college’s decisionmaking 

processes and how these relate to the college and district missions. 

d. The president effectively controls budget and expenditures. 

Description 

The president works with the chancellor, the deputy chancellor, and the college budget 

manager to ensure that financial resources are managed properly. This is achieved through 

the DRAC that oversees budget distribution to the colleges. The SOCCCD is a basic aid 

district but the colleges are funded on a state apportionment model. When making budgeting 

decisions, the president considers recommendations of the Budget Committee, which has 

representation from all governance groups. 

The largest portion of the college budget, which goes to salaries, is beyond the president’s 

control. The district budget model allocates basic aid monies to the district. The BOT 



evaluates and acts on college requests for basic aid funds, which are allocated for one-timeonly 

projects. 

Appraisal 

In the EV 2003, FTO respondents disagreed that the president was effectively using 

shared governance in the budget process (4.1). Among FTO respondents 21 percent agreed 

that shared governance was incorporated into budget planning decisions and 49 percent 

disagreed. Comments submitted in the survey questioned the political independence of the 

president in the budget process. At the same time, 65 percent of FTO respondents disagreed 

that the chancellor allowed the college president to implement decisions according to college 

processes and procedures. Inadequate or insufficient communication about the budget process 

may be responsible for these low figures. 


• College leadership will focus on improving communication about the budget process 

including opportunities for faculty and staff participation. 

e. The president works and communicates effectively with the communities served 

by the institution. 

Description 

The president participates in K-12 activities, speaks at local service clubs, and serves on 

the boards of many community organizations. The president holds an annual Principals’ 

Breakfast for local high-school principals. The president attends events of local chambers 

of commerce, other city events, and both internal and external fundraisers. The president, 

through the Public Information Officers (PIOs), communicates with college service area 

communities through press releases. 

Appraisal 

One item in EV 2003 addresses faculty and staff perceptions about whether or not the 

president projects a positive image to the college community (4.1). Sixty-nine percent of 

FTO agree with the statement, which is the most positive response regarding the college 

president’s performance in the college leadership and management dimension. It is expected 

that the PIO Office will be developed into a comprehensive college communication and 

marketing department now that this position has been filled. 


• The new college Director of Marketing and Public Information will work to increase 

the college’s presence in the community. 

196 



3. In multi-college districts or systems, the district/system provides primary leadership 

in setting and communicating expectations of educational excellence and integrity 

throughout the district/system and assures support for the effective operation of the 

colleges. It establishes clearly defined roles of authority and responsibility between 

the colleges and the district/system and acts as the liaison between the colleges and 

the governing board. 7 

a. The district/system clearly delineates and communicates the operational 

responsibilities and functions of the district/system from those of the colleges 

and consistently adheres to this delineation in practice. 

Description 

District and college operational responsibilities and functions are clearly defined. All district 

and college administrators participate in the monthly meetings of the District Management 

Council (DMC). The DMC provides a forum of communication between district and college 

administration and between the two colleges to ensure coordination and non-duplication of 

efforts. The Vice Chancellor for Educational Services has worked to document the colleges’ 

organizational and reporting structures. 

Appraisal 

Item 15 of the EV 2003 (4.1) asks college faculty and staff whether “the district and the 

college are mutually supporting, yet independent and self-governing units.” Sixty-nine 

percent of FTO respondents to the EV 2003 disagree with the statement. Similarly, Item 16 

asks whether the chancellor allows the college president to implement decisions according to 

college processes and procedures. Sixty-five percent of FTO respondents disagree with the 

statement. Indeed, there is widespread perception that the district micromanages the college 

and does not permit the college to make independent decisions or implement appropriate 

actions. 

Recommendation #4 made by the WASC visiting team in 1998 (4.22) is as appropriate today 

as it was then: “The Board of Trustees must begin immediately to delegate all non-policy 

issues to the Chief Executive Officer, his/her team and the established governance decisionmaking 

processes.” College faculty and staff have the talent and expertise to make decisions 

that are consistent with the college mission if only the district would have confidence in the 

ability of college faculty, classified staff, and administrators to carry out their responsibilities. 

1 

Policy on Procedures for the Evaluation of Institutions in Multi-College/Multi-Unit Districts or Systems. 




• College faculty, staff, and leadership will work with district leadership to permit 

the college to make organizational decisions and manage college functions that are 

consistent with the college mission. 

b. The district/system provides effective services that support the colleges in their 

Description 

missions and functions. 

The District Business Office provides support for payroll, human resources, accounting, 

purchasing, risk management, and distribution systems. District Information Technology (IT) 

provides information technology support (hardware and software) for all essential college 

and district operations. District IT, in coordination with the Innovation and Technology 

Center (ITC), support faculty and student technology needs with personalized web portals 

(MySite) and Blackboard, the district’s distance education platform. The Vice Chancellor 

for Educational Services coordinates the review and revision of educational policy required 

by state regulation, and in conjunction with a districtwide committee, coordinates sabbatical 

eligibility, requirements, and awards. 

Appraisal 

Comments in the Student Satisfaction Survey (SSS 2003) praise the work of college and 

district IT (4.23). The college’s web site, online registration, and MySite portal are highly 

esteemed as aids to both students and faculty in effectively fulfilling the college’s mission of 

serving students. 

Roughly two-thirds of FTO responses in EV 2003 disagree that, “The Board of Trustees 

considers the needs of the college’s student support services when making budget decisions.” 

The same is true of item 6, which states, “The Board of Trustees uses reliable sources of 

information to learn about the needs of the college’s student support services.”(4.1). 

One recent concern is the very limited ability of the Office of Human Resources to proceed 

with classified hiring. The college has identified classified positions that are critically 

important and the Office of Human Resources is processing these because they have 

been announced and have active applicant pools. All other classified positions on the list 

prioritized by the college were not announced and processed until late spring 2004 when the 

faculty hiring process was completed. As long as approved classified positions are not filled, 

the current staff in those areas must do what it can to maintain the integrity of programs and 

services. 

In fall 2003, the district, in conjunction with college staff, embarked on a business process 

review of Payroll and Human Resources. This review led to recommendations for immediate 

and long-range plans to streamline and increase efficiency of these departments. The 

198 



immediate recommendations are being implemented while the long-range recommendations 

will be put into effect in the future. 


• The college will encourage and support the district in its efforts to streamline the 

payroll and human resources processes to allow it to provide effective support 

services on a reliable and consistent basis. 

c. The district/system provides fair distribution of resources that are adequate to 

support the effective operations of the colleges. 

Description 

Although the SOCCCD is a basic aid district, allocation of funds to the college uses the 

apportionment formula calculated on full-time equivalent students (FTES) with allocation 

of categorical funds complying with current regulations. Excess basic aid funds remain in 

general district accounts although most funds have been allocated to one-time expenditures 

or have been set aside for potential liabilities (e.g., Pool case). These funds are to be used for 

one-time-only, non-recurring expenditures, and to debt retirement according to guidelines 

adopted by the BOT. This allocation model follows guidelines recommended by DRAC. 

Appraisal 

The district ending balance was approximately $80 M, and although the district has invited 

the colleges to submit priority lists for spending these funds, there is concern that processes 

created for expenditure of these funds are not being applied evenly or consistently. In 2002- 

2003, in anticipation of reductions announced by the state chancellor, some services were cut 

in spring and some classes were cut in summer 2003. Item #3 of the EV 2003 asks faculty 

and staff whether the board manages district budgets to ensure adequate reserves, and, not 

surprisingly, 28 percent of FTO agree with the statement and 51 percent disagree (4.1). It 

may be that faculty and staff have an inadequate or incomplete understanding of the districtcollege 

budget distribution process because there is a widespread perception that the growing 

reserve could be used to support the needs of the college’s aging infrastructure and those of 

growing academic programs and services. 


• The college faculty, staff, and administration will work with district leadership to 

ensure that the budget model adequately supports all college operations. 



d. The district/system effectively controls its expenditures. 

Description 

The district meets all state guidelines for contingency fund reserves. Saddleback College 

submits and adheres to a balanced budget based on its FTES and categorical allocations. Per 

BOT guidelines, no allocation of any one-time funds, including basic aid funds, is permitted 

to be used for ongoing expenses. The ASG provides incidental financial support to special 

college projects from its own budget, which is derived from voluntary student fees and 

revenues from cafeteria, beverage vending, and bookstore accounts. The ASG also maintains 

a contingency fund to support unexpected needs (See St.3.D.2). 

Appraisal 

Within seven years, the SOCCCD has gone from being on the state chancellor’s watch 

list in 1997 to having a contingency reserve of 6.5 percent. This is a highly commendable 

achievement. In the face of state budget cuts, the college was forced to reduce programs 

and services in spring and summer 2003. Further cuts were mitigated due to an additional 

allocation made by the BOT from basic aid funds. Nevertheless, there are perceptions that 

BOT decisions, when making basic aid allocations, are based on incomplete information 

about the needs of the college’s programs and services. 


• College leadership will work with district leadership to provide effective 

communication to the BOT regarding the full range of the college’s needs and 

priorities. 

e. The chancellor gives full responsibility and authority to the presidents of the 

colleges to implement and administer delegated district/system policies without 

his/her interference and holds them accountable for the operation of the 

colleges. 

Description 

In 2001 the SOCCCD prepared its last organizational chart. (4.24) This chart delineated 

district and college lines of responsibility. It is generally understood, although not written 

in any policy or procedure manual, that the chancellor gives the president authority to 

implement and administer delegated district policies without interference. The chancellor 

evaluates the college president on an annual basis. 

Appraisal 

Faculty and staff responses to the district leadership and management dimension of the EV 

2003 reveal that FTO respondents perceive that the chancellor is too involved in college 

200 



decision-making although the president has the responsibility and authority for the institution 

(4.1). A variety of terms related to micromanagement appear in the verbatim comments 

section of the staff survey regarding the relationship between the BOT and the chancellor and 

college leadership. 


• College leadership will recommend to the district and BOT a review in principle 

and practice of the organizational structure including responsibility, authority, and 

accountability of college senior administrators with pertinent recommendations for 

change. 

f. The district/system acts as the liaison between the colleges and the governing 

board. The district/system and the colleges use effective methods of 

communication, and they exchange information in a timely manner. 

Description 

The chancellor works directly with the college president on districtwide matters. The 

Chancellor’s Cabinet, which convenes before the BOT meeting, includes all district 

administrators, the college presidents, the Academic Senate presidents, the Classified Senate 

presidents, and representatives from all bargaining units. A docket meeting is held prior to 

the Chancellor’s Cabinet meeting where items for the subsequent board meeting agenda 

are proposed and evaluated. Representatives to the docket meeting include the chancellor, 

the deputy chancellor, the vice chancellor, and the two college presidents. In fall 2002, the 

chancellor streamlined participation in board docket meetings and rescinded academic and 

classified senates’ and bargaining units’ participation in the board docket. 

Appraisal 

Following docket meetings, all agenda items are available in the office of the president for 

review by any member of the college community. The district uses email to disseminate to 

all governance groups information about academic and classified personnel actions prior 

to docket meetings. Nevertheless, there is a perception that items discussed in the docket 

meeting and earmarked to be added to the board agenda do not always appear on the BOT 

meeting agenda. Conversely, items not discussed in the docket meeting sometimes appear on 

the BOT meeting agenda. According to the college president, revisions are sometimes made 

to the posted agenda and these revisions are posted, per Brown Act requirements, but it is 

possible that not everyone sees the posted revisions. 

Possibilities for meaningful interaction between district leadership and the governance groups 

have been reduced since they are no longer participants in the board docket meeting. In the 

opinion of these college governance groups, the only remaining opportunity for contributions 



from the senates and bargaining units are during the public comments (3 minutes) and in the 

reports (3 minutes) section during the monthly BOT meetings. 

There were several items (4, 6, 8, and 11) dealing with perceptions about access to sufficient 

and timely communication from the district in EV 2003 (4.1). Responses to Items 4 and 11 

show that more than half of the FTO respondents (56 and 58 percent) do not feel that they 

have access to enough information from the district or that information is not distributed in 

a timely manner. This perception of a lack of effective information contributes to confusion, 

generates rumors, and perpetuates distrust. 

In January 2004, the district hired a new Director of Marketing, Government, and 

Community Relations. Since January 2004, the district has been providing more and better 

information to the college community about and districtwide issues (4.25). 


• The college will work with the district to provide more effective communication to all 

college governance groups and to improve opportunities for participation in district 

meetings including the board docket. 

g. The district/system regularly evaluates district/system role delineation and 

governance and decision-making structures and processes to assure their 

integrity and effectiveness in assisting the colleges in meeting educational goals. 

The district/system widely communicates the results of these evaluations and 

uses them as the basis for improvement. 

Description 

The chancellor distributes, via email, an annual District Needs Survey to every employee in 

the SOCCCD (4.26). As a result of this process, the Proposed District Goals, 2004-2005 were 

distributed in April 2004 (4.27). His office evaluates responses and incorporates many of the 

suggestions into the annual District Goals that are presented as the Goals Action Plan and 

Progress/Final Reports at the Chancellor’s Opening Session during the fall inservice week. 

The Goals for 2003-2004 include supporting enrollment management, strengthening student 

success processes, construction of new instructional facilities, and increasing efficiency and 

effectiveness in the delivery of instructional, student, and administrative services (4.8). The 

deputy chancellor’s office is undertaking a business process analysis, guided by an outside 

consultant. The objectives of the analysis include: improving service to students, faculty, and 

staff, automating and simplifying processes, reducing costs, and improving collaboration 

among the colleges and the district. The Vice Chancellor for Educational Services, assisted 

by the college vice presidents, has worked to document the colleges’ organizational and 

reporting structures. 

202 



Appraisal 

The various strategies employed by the district to assist the college in meeting its 

educational goals may be valuable in the long-term in improving institutional effectiveness. 

The perceptions of college faculty and staff in EV 2003, however, indicate that district 

micromanagement of the college is an impediment to creativity and risk-taking that stifles 

positive college development (4.1). A venue characterized by trust and respect must be 

created in order to facilitate college/district dialog so that the college can move forward. 

There are some hopeful signs. Recent changes in board membership have been encouraging. 

During recent board meetings the board has solicited more participation from governance 

groups. After a successful petition process, a trustee appointed by the board to replace a 

vacant trustee position, was replaced through a special election. Since January 2004, the 

district has been providing more and better information to the college community about 

and districtwide issues through the Director of Marketing, Government, and Community 

Relations (4.25). In mid-June, the district announced the revision of BP2100.1, Delegation 

of Authority to the Academic Senate, “so that the word ‘appropriate’ modifies the word 

‘delegation’ rather that the words ‘authority’ or ‘responsibility’.” (4.28). 


• College faculty, staff, and administrators will work closely with the BOT and district 

to promote better communication and enhance the autonomy of college decisions. 



References 


4.2 SOCCCD Board Policy 2100.1 

4.3 Letter from Academic Senate to Board of Trustees 




4.7 Academic Senate Resolution: Administrative Retreat Rights 

4.8 SOCCCD 2003-2004 Goals Action Plan 






4.14 Letter from Academic Senate to Board of Trustees 


4.16 SOCCCD Board of Trustees Orientation Manual 

4.17 Letter from consultant Gary Davis: Board of Trustees self-evaluation 



4.20 Performance Evaluation Review 

4.21 Deans’ Workload Survey Spring 2003- Executive Summary 

4.22 1998 WASC recommendations 


4.24 SOCCCD Organizational Chart 

4.25 Examples of Chancellor’s Updates 

4.26 2003-2004 District Needs Survey 

4.27 Proposed District Goals 2004-2005 

4.28 B.P. 2100.1 revision 

204

The Accreditation Self Study Report of Saddleback College

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